


The Darkness Inside

by redsandman99



Category: World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-13
Updated: 2014-08-03
Packaged: 2018-01-12 04:49:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 38
Words: 115,585
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1182121
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/redsandman99/pseuds/redsandman99
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The mere existence of their relationship is wrong but something inside Dean can't make him break away.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

 Dean limped through the hallway, sweat dripping down his body and his United States title dangling in his hand. He had just got done defending the gold against Kofi Kingston. House shows were about the only place he really defended the belt anymore. Seth and Roman had stayed in the back as he took care of business but neither one of them were waiting for him when he came back through the curtain. They had their own match to prepare for sure but he still couldn't help but feel a little miffed. He was always out at ringside with them anymore but they couldn't even be bothered to watch his match from the curtain and run in with an assist if needed. He blamed Roman. Fucking Roman stealing the spotlight, stealing the leadership that wasn't officially supposed to be there but Dean considered to be his anyway and he was fucking stealing Seth too. He had been fucking Seth since their FCW days yet more and more often Seth was in Roman's bed as opposed to Dean's. Hell there was a time that the three of them shared one bed but now Dean was left alone at night to get himself in trouble. And trouble was what he was ever so good at getting himself into. It always had been but lately he had gotten himself into something even he felt like an idiot for. He wasn't one that did shame much but the shame of this kept him completely mum on how he spent his nights now. Well that and the fact Seth and Roman would fucking kill him if they knew. They would string him up by his own guts and leave him there to dry if they knew what was going on right under their noses.

  
 As opposed to going back to his locker room he slipped down to the boiler room. He needed to be alone for awhile. He wasn't ready to go to the locker room and have another fight with Roman. He wasn't ready to deal with Seth pleading with him to play nice. He certainly wasn't ready to be seen alone by everyone else and showing off the fact that there really was trouble in the group. Sure it already was pretty obvious but they were at least trying to save face. Maybe they were failing miserably but the effort was what counted. Or at least, that was what he was trying to tell himself anyway. Effort wasn't going to mean shit in the long run if they didn't work stuff out but that was hard to accept and needed to just go ignored right now.

  
The boiler room only had a single lightbulb that barely lit anything as he flipped the switch. Not that it really mattered. He let his belt drop down to the floor and leaned back against the wall. The room felt even hotter than it was since he just got done wrestling. He grabbed the collar of his shirt and tugged on it. He thought about just ditching it completely but he felt too lazy to even do that. Instead he just tilted his head back and closed his eyes. He tried to pretend he was in a hot tub. A nice hot tub that would soothe his aching muscles. His match with Kofi hadn't been the roughest thing he had ever gone through but years of abuse just wore him down sometimes. He didn't think the hotel's pool area would be open by the time they were done tonight so he would have to hope this would somehow actually help and he could take care of the rest of the aches and pains with some Tylenol and a night full of actual sleep.

  
 "There you are darlin. I-"

  
 "Jesus fuck!" Dean's eyes snapped open and he jumped nearly a foot in the air. Stepping out from the darkest part of the room was Bray fucking Wyatt, self-satisfied smirk planted firmly on his face. "You fucking asshole." Dean could have just throttled him right then and there. He really could have. He hated being snuck up on yet Bray did it every single fucking time. "What the fuck are you doing down here?"

  
 "A little birdy told me you'd come." Bray walked forward lazily. His smirk turned into an actual smile as he watched Dean look around for Harper and Rowan. "I don't know why you still think I bring them every time we meet like this. You don't insult me by bringing yours so why should I bring mine?"

  
 Dean didn't give him an answer. He just kept looking, knowing full well that Bray was actually telling the truth. The man wasn't a liar. Deluded yes but not an intentional liar. "What kind of little birdy tells you to hang out in fucking boiler rooms?" He folded his arms over his chest and pretended that his heart was beating at a more normal rate. "Don't you ever stop and think that's a little fucking weird man?"

  
 "It led me to you sunshine so why should I question the whispers?"

  
 "Don't-" Dean shook his head and scowled "call me that."

  
 "What?" Bray was playing with him. Dark eyes were absolutely dancing in delight. "Sunshine?" He chuckled. "You liked it when he called you that."

  
 Dean continued to scowl. He wasn't going to take the bait. He wasn't going to talk about Regal. He wasn't playing the game. Bray seemed to live to do this. Seek him out, get in his head...and then get into him. It was a song and dance they had been playing for weeks. Dean didn't know why it had started. He didn't know why he had let it continue. He had tried to break it off after the Wyatts had cost him, Seth and Roman their chance at the title at Elimination Chamber but Bray wouldn't leave him alone. No matter what he did or said Bray kept chasing him and for some reason he didn't think he could ever explain to himself, he couldn't stick with his answer of no. He had always known he was a sick guy but with this he felt like he had somehow gone to a whole new level.

  
 "What? You have nothing to say tonight?" Bray stretched out his arms and honestly looked surprise. "I usually can't get you silent quick enough."

  
 "That's rich coming from you," Dean snapped. He stepped up to the bearded man and just to try to fuck with him he knocked the stupid straw hat right off his head. He wanted Bray to get mad, wanted to get under his skin but Bray only looked amused. That only served to make Dean angrier. "You fucking go on and on and on preaching some psycho babble bullshit and you tell me I talk too much?"

  
 "I only preach the truth darlin." Bray leaned in real close, putting his face so close to Dean's that their lips were nearly touching. "Just because you don't like to listen doesn't mean my lessons aren't worth learning." He put his hand up and tried to run his fingers over Dean's lips but Dean swatted his hand away.

  
 "Don't do that fucking shit." Dean forced himself to take a step back. He normally was never the one to back away but if Bray started touching him then he would be finished. The fight would leave him and he would give in. He couldn't let himself do that. Not again.

  
 Bray lowered his hand and tilted his head to the side. "You try to call me a liar yet you act like you don't want me to touch you."

  
 "I don't."

  
 Bray just laughed. He fucking laughed and Dean almost socked him right in his stupid mouth.

  
 "I'm not fucking joking!" Dean hissed. He didn't know why he just didn't hit the son of a bitch. It was being asked for. He certainly wanted to right now. Yet for whatever reason his arm wouldn't carry through with the strike that his brain was begging for. "You-" he pointed a finger against Bray's chest and puffed himself up as much as he could. Dean had an inch on him in height but Bray was a lot fucking bigger than he was. "You fucking need to leave me the fuck alone. No more of this stalking bullshit. No more trying to get into my god damn pants--"

  
 "I wasn't aware that required trying."

  
 "Fuck you." Dean shoved Bray back as hard as he could and started storming away. He wasn't terribly far from the door he could get out. As long as Harper and Rowan weren't blocking the other side of the door he could get the fuck out of there and get back to his locker room.

  
 "You think you can just keep running to your false idols?" Bray's voice made Dean stop. It shouldn't have but it did. He looked back to see that Bray had picked up his title and was glaring at him. He was glaring at him and Dean swore in that moment Bray's eyes were pure black. "They won't be there. They lie to you, promising you the light. They say they shine down the beacon of justice, they say they want to absorb you in their light and call it love but they LIE!" Bray hurled the title and Dean jumped back, expecting it to come towards his face. It went upwards instead and hit the light above them at full force. The light bulb fell from the fixture and shattered against the floor. They were plunged into total darkness but Bray was hardly affected by it at all. He closed the distance between them and Dean found himself being shoved unceremoniously against the wall. The hard slam, Bray's body pressing against his, his face being cupped with the leather glove clad hand, Bray's hot breath blowing against his lips-all of this went straight to Dean's cock. His eyes were starting to adjust to the dark and in that moment he would have sworn on his life that Bray's eyes were fucking glowing. They were fucking glowing with fire yet still black as the room they were in at the same time. It sounded absolutely insane but he lacked any other way to explain it.

  
 "You don't belong in the light." Bray's voice was barely audible but Dean still heard every word clear as day. "You're too twisted for the light. You belong down here in the shadows with me."

  
 Dean made no attempt to deny those words. He could barely breathe let alone think. Rationally speaking he knew he shouldn't be listening. Bray didn't want him to break their little affair off. He pulled people in with his pretty words and used them to keep them in place. This wasn't any different. Yet Dean fucking believed these words. They weren't fucking untrue. He had lived his whole life in a dark place. It was what he was used to. Seth and Roman didn't understand. Bray did. Dean knew he did and a part of him knew that's why he kept letting him in. He craved someone who got it even if it meant getting into something that was way over his head.

  
 If Dean were to reflect later on he wouldn't have been able to say who initiated the kiss. Bray would be the easy one to blame but it could have easily been him instead. It didn't really matter in the long run. What mattered was their mouths being fused together, tongues clashing and hands ripping and tearing at clothes that were a cruel barrier for the skin on skin contact they craved. Dean tried to shove Bray back, to pin him against the wall and be the one in control. Bray didn't budge an inch. A low growl rose from the back of Dean's throat. He pushed again, this time using his whole body weight. For a single moment he thought it worked. Bray started to fall but before Dean could capitalize he was being yanked down as well. Bray twisted himself mid-fall so all of his weight landed on Dean's hips and stomach. Dean opened his mouth and a choked yelp of pain escaped him. If he had the breath he would have cursed Bray eight ways to Sunday.

  
Bray's teeth found Dean's lower lip and he bit down so hard he drew blood. The pain sent a jolt through Dean's whole body. Large hands tugged away on his pants and he lifted his hips so they could be discarded. It only briefly occurred to him that the door wasn't locked and anyone could come waltzing in at any time. Bray's hand around his cock drove that worry far from his mind. "Fuck me," he groaned. He thrusted his hips upwards, his own fist grabbing dark brown locks and pulling hard. The hand that wasn't holding Bray's head tugged on his pants in return. He smashed his mouth against the larger man's, using his tongue to push his own blood into his mouth. Teeth found his lip again and bit down harder than before. Bit down so hard Dean thought his entire lips was going to get ripped right off his face.

  
 A bottle of lube emerged from Bray's pocket and three fingers slipped inside Dean as he was distracted by the biting. What emerged from his mouth was a cross between a hiss and a moan. His own teeth started biting down in return, desperate not to be the only one who was bleeding. His head was fucking spinning from all the sensations assaulting his body. Bray's hand was still wrapped around his cock, pumping in time with his fingers.

  
 "Do you still want to run off little lamb?" Bray's soothing southern drawl only halfway snapped Dean out of the haze he was in.

  
 "What?" Dean shook his head. Bray's hand and fingers weren't moving anymore. "What the fuck-"

  
 "You're more than welcome to leave." Blood red lips spread into a smile. "I mean if you still want to chase that light who am I to stop you?"

  
 Dean stared at him incredulously. "Are you fucking kidding me?" He arched his hips up, impatient to be touched more. If he had something sharp he would just stab Bray right in his stupid face.

  
 "Tell me what you want little lamb." It was a power play move now. Bray slipped his fingers out of Dean and gave him that so very unsettling smile. "Tell me what your black little heart desires."

  
 "I want you to shut the fuck up and fuck me." Dean had to say it. He was too hard not to.

  
 "What else?" Bray teased Dean's cock with a single stroke. "That's not all I want to hear come on now."

  
 Dean scowled and tried not to say it. He didn't want to say it he wasn't fucking gonna say it. He wanted to pretend he still had some dignity. Yet with another stroke of his cock the words were tumbling out of his mouth so fast they made Bray laugh. "Please!" he gasped. Dignity was going right out the window.

  
 "Where do you belong darlin?" Bray's eyes locked on to Dean's, his hand continuing to tease him slowly. "Say it."

  
 "Here." Fuck it. Fuck dignity. Nobody was there beyond them and if Bray ever said shit he'd call him a liar and kill him when his goons weren't up his ass.

  
 Bray looked absolutely thrilled at the admission. His lips captured Dean's again and with a swift motion he thrusted himself inside of Dean, swallowing the moans that escaped the other man's lips. Dean tried to move his hand down to stroke himself but Bray slapped it away. Dean let out a low growl and tried again. Bray grabbed his wrists and with only a brief struggle Bray got them pinned down above Dean's head. Dean tried to jerk his head up, looking to smash in Bray's nose. Bray jerked his head out of the way just in time, burying his face in Dean's neck and biting the sensitive flesh hard enough to leave a bruise he would have to explain away later. Dean sucked in a harsh breath. Every single thing he tried to do to the other man failed. He couldn't land a blow, he couldn't tell him to go fuck off without ending up on his back like some two bit whore...he had no idea what was wrong with him. He had lost all control. Bray was in his head. In his head and under his skin. Like a disease. Perhaps it was karma. Being the one that got under people's skin was something he had thrived on for years. Sami, Seth, Regal, Roman to an extent--perhaps having his control taken away here was showing him how he made all of them feel. That or he had just lost what was left of his fucking mind. He had never been a picture of mental stability; perhaps something deep down had just really snapped and that was why he kept letting this happen.

  
 Darkly sweet words were being whispered into his ear but Dean was hardly listening. He tilted his head back, his eyes closed tight as his body rocked with their movements. His mouth hung open and tried to say something but all that came out was gibberish. He didn't realize Bray had let go  of his wrists until the strong hand was once again wrapped around his dick, stroking hard and fast to be in time with his thrusts. Dean's entire body jerked, actually spasming along with his orgasm. His teeth found Bray's shoulder though it didn't quiet him very much. He felt Bray's release spill into him and for a few moments they just laid there, limbs tangled together and bodily fluids lingering together in a lovely yet disgusting mess.  

  
 Bray kissed Dean's forehead before moving off of him. Despite the temperature of the room itself Dean immediately felt cold at the loss of the larger body on him. He watched as Bray fixed his clothes and retrieved his hat. "You can run along now little lamb." The words weren't meant in the very least. Dean could tell that much. It was a courtesy send off. He had yet to decide to kidnap Dean and keep him locked down in his swamp compound though that couldn't ever be put past him. Tonight just wasn't that night.

  
 Dean slowly got up to his feet. He pulled his pants back on and went to grab his shirt. The sleeveless black material was completely ripped in half. He turned to Bray to snap at him but his voice failed him as their eyes met again. Bray's gaze was completely blank. Dark eyes held neither their usual charm or malice. He was just watching Dean. Just waiting to see what he would do. After a long moment Dean let his ruined shirt slip from his fingers and he walked over to Bray. Very gingerly he sat down next to him and let himself relax back against the wall. "Don't fucking gloat or I walk," he threatened.

  
 Bray smiled and put an arm around him. "Wouldn't dream of it darlin."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Sooo this was supposed to be just a oneshot but then I got a little more inspiration...gonna see how this turns out as a fic. Hopefully you guys like it.**

..

"Someone smells like they just got laid."

Despite his plans to sleep Dean opened his eyes to look at Seth. He was sitting in the backseat of the car as Roman drove and before he had closed his eyes he had been alone. Seth had been playing assistant driver up front with Roman yet now he had climbed back there, totally invading Dean's personal space. "What the fuck are you talking about?"

"Sex. You had it. I smell it on you."

"I thought you said you could tell because he was glowing." It was hard to tell if Roman was amused or exasperated. Most likely the first since it wasn't like Seth was bothering him.

"That too." An annoying little smirk crossed Seth's face. He nudged Dean's arm impatiently. "So who was it? Did you bring another rat backstage or something? Hunter's told you to stop that shit he'll have your head if he finds out."

"Hunter won't fucking do shit," Dean muttered. He shifted around in his seat. He didn't want to talk about this. Seth of course had to know something was up. Fucking bastard. He couldn't ever leave well enough alone. Not ever.

"So who was it though?" Seth nudged Dean's arm again. "Come on we agreed on full disclosure dude."

"When did I ever agree to that?"

"Well when we started fucking-"

"Well we haven't been fucking lately so where my dick has been is none of your god damn business."

"Don't be a fucking nasty ass." Roman looked back at him through the rearview mirror and glared at him. "He's just asking a question."

"And I don't want to answer it." Dean glared right back at Roman. He wasn't in the mood to take his shit. He already had taken Bray's he didn't need it from these two as well. "It's not my fault he don't know how to drop shit."

Seth's smirk disappeared only for a moment. When it returned it was bigger than it had been before. "Oh my god."

"What?" Dean and Roman both said at the same time. Roman even cranked his head back so he could look at the younger man.

"You fucked someone on the roster!" Seth clapped his hands as the color drained from Dean's face. "THAT'S why you don't want to talk about it! You're fucking someone we know!"

"What?" Dean did his best to just laugh off the accusation. "That's fucking crazy man."

Seth wasn't buying it. "You totally did though!" He was practically bouncing out of his seat he was so thrilled to have caught on. "I know you." He tapped his finger against his own head. "I know you dude. You did that shit and now you're ashamed." He tilted his head to the right and his smugness turned to confusion. "Who the hell could you have fucked that you're ashamed of? I thought you didn't have any shame." He looked towards Roman. "Did he suddenly spout shame when I wasn't looking?"

"He let us see him leaving with that one-legged stripper that one time so..."

"You know what guys? I don't need you to judge me and my choices." Dean folded his arms over his chest. "I fuck whoever the hell I want and I don't have to tell either of you shit. Alright?"

"Bu-"

"Seth just drop it," Roman ordered.

"But come on!"

"Look, I'm not driving all night just to listen to you two argue. Drop the god damn subject."

Seth looked pissed but complied. Dean didn't actually thank Roman though he was grateful. He turned his head toward the window and just stared out it. He had to get through Raw tomorrow and Smackdown before getting to go home for a couple of days. Back to Las Vegas where he could get away from the road, get away from nosy Seth and stupid Roman, get away from Bray...fucking Bray. Just thinking of him made Dean twitch. Even in the safety of the car it was like he could feel him. Like he was right there, staring into his soul. He hated it. He hated him. He hated him so much he couldn't stand it. He hated the way he talked, the way he dressed, his stupid grin, his accent, the way he moved, the way he fucking stalked him-most of all though Dean hated himself for how he got around the bastard. This wasn't his normal hate. The hate that would rain down destruction on that person. The hate that would drive him to eradicate them and break them and take everything from them. No, this was something else. Deep, deep, _deep_ down inside Dean knew his claims of hatred on Bray were more for himself. He hated that he became putty in the crazy bastard's hands. He hated the way his body reacted to his touch, how it had started craving his touch when they weren't together. Hell his dick was starting to get hard just thinking about him.

No. Fuck that. Dean shook it off and pulled his legs up on to the seat. He wasn't thinking like this anymore. He hated Bray. That was all there was to it. He hated Bray and the next time he saw him he was going to smash in his stupid face and laugh as he bled. He closed his eyes and willed himself to imagine just that. He imagined himself back in the boiler room, standing before Bray with a lead pipe in his hands. Bray's arms were stretched out, daring him to do something. Dean imagined himself raising the pipe and he wanted to strike, he needed to strike...but nothing happened. He just picture those eyes staring at him and his arms went weak. He dropped the pipe, the metal clanging against the hard floor. Shit. Dean rubbed his eyes and silently cursed himself. This was out of hand. He couldn't even hurt Bray in his own damn fantasies. He needed help. He needed some serious, grade A industrial strength help.

"Can I at least know if it's a guy or a girl?" Seth's question brought Dean back to reality. The two toned hair man was leaning over, studying Dean in a way that was going to get him hit if he didn't stop it. What made it all the more baffling was that he knew very well there was a point he shouldn't push Dean past. It wasn't like they just met or anything. Yet there he was, just pushing and pushing away.

Dean just ignored him this time. If he even gave a gender he knew Seth's nosy ass would start asking questions backstage. As far as Dean knew nobody had seen him or Bray together so it wasn't like any of them could spill the beans. But he still didn't want Seth to start making a list and eliminating possibilities. He didn't want him doing anything that would lead him to realization that he was seeing Bray.

"Oh come on!" Seth slapped Dean on the leg. "You know I'm gonna figure it out anyway. Why don't you just save the time and just tell me?"

Dean just slid down in his seat, not sure if he wanted to kill Seth more than he just wanted to die right on the spot.

"Fine. You know what? Challenge accepted."

Dean only groaned. He was going to kill Seth and then probably himself before Roman could do it. Yeah. That was the best plan available.

...

Bray had never been one for sleep. He functioned on such little of it most in his brethren figured that he was just always awake. Harper and Rowan didn't function on his level and they were long asleep in the other room. It was just as well. When he had returned from seeing Dean he could sense they hadn't understood what he was doing. They were the only ones besides himself and Dean that knew of their relationship and he knew they didn't like it. Well, Rowan didn't like it anyway. Harper seemed to accept it even thought understanding the reasons why. Bray knew he wanted to ask but he was wise enough to hold his tongue. He would wait until Bray decided to tell him or at least told him he could ask his questions. When that would be he wasn't sure. His thoughts and feelings towards Dean were something he was keeping close to his own chest.

The breeze picked up slightly and he breathed in the air, not minding the cold as it bit his skin. He had taken his rocking chair and was sitting in the shadows of the hotel parking lot. He had left the arena with Rowan and Harper before the show had even ended so he was watching the other wrestlers stumble in one by one. He watched Kofi and Miz come in arguing about some trivial video game or whatever, Tamina carrying a sleeping AJ, Bryan strolling in with both Bellas...wrestler after wrestler but no Dean as of yet. Not that Bray was planning on doing anything once Dean arrived. He would have his so-called brothers with him and his hold on Dean wasn't strong enough to withstand the chaos that would come with exposing himself too much to Rollins and Reigns. The day though would come. He could see it on the horizon. Dean was trying to be blind with it but the day was coming. He just needed a little patience. Thankfully that was something he had an abundance of.

The black car finally pulled into the lot and from it emerged The Shield. Roman came out of the driver's seat, his normally stoic stance shaken with annoyance. Seth emerged next. The little rat was talking a million miles an hour just like usual. Bray wouldn't lie, he would get real joy out of ripping his vocal chords away with his bare hands. And out last came Dean. A little smile crossed over Bray's lips. His dear Dean. He couldn't see him but he was almost always watching. It was an amazing thing to be able to slip into the shadows and go absolutely unnoticed. It allowed him to see all kinds of things. He saw more than even what he told Dean. He would sit back and watch the tension grow between Roman and Dean with each passing night. Roman was coming into his own and it was easy to see he would break away from The Shield and become fully embraced by the fans. They were already raining down some love and adoration on him. They were just waiting for him to leave Seth and Dean behind to really love him. Bray supposed Seth would end up getting embraced by them as well. Dean though wouldn't receive that same reaction. He wouldn't get that hero's reception. They would shun him, call him crazy, call him a freak, call him every name in the book and rejoice in his pain. Not that that was going to be anything new for him. It was the same story no matter what promotion he went to. Only the sheep's faces changed.

Roman led the way into the hotel. He was followed closely by Seth, who was still jabbering away. Dean lingered behind, stopping to take a look around. Bray smiled. He was being sensed. Dean couldn't see him but he could feel him. Bray was thrilled. He waited to see if Dean would call out to him, curse at him, even try to think he could entertain the thought of harming him. The seconds passed slowly and eventually Dean just shook it off and went into the hotel. Disappointing but Bray would live. Just knowing that Dean knew he was watching was enough for tonight. "Sweet dreams darlin," he said under his breath. He tilted his head back and closed his eyes. Sleep probably wouldn't come but thoughts of Dean already were and that was all he needed...for tonight anyway.


	3. Chapter 3

The empty field seemed to stretch for hundreds of miles in each direction. Dean looked around, not even certain how he ended up there. The grass came up to his knees and the air was so sticky and hot he was breaking out in a sweat just standing there. He ran his hand through his hair and started walking. He thought about calling out to see if anyone would hear him but he kept his mouth shut. There was no point that he could see. Instead he just walked, going straight ahead because it had to lead him to something. At least he hoped so anyway. He stripped himself of his shirt and just tossed it away. Losing the layer of clothing helped a bit but it still was so damn hot. "God fucking damn it..." He started to walk faster. He had to find somewhere to go. The scenery was starting to all blur together but slowly he began to realize he was walking uphill. The sky above him clouded over and thunder began to rumble in the distance. Despite the heat he started to feel a chill. Something in the pit of his stomach told him to just turn around. Just go back the way he came. But as he started to turn around he swore he heard voices. Faint voices but voices nonetheless. Familiar voices. "Seth?" His feet were moving forwards once again. "Roman?" He moved faster, making it up to the top of the hill. Roman and Seth were nowhere to be found. Instead he found himself standing in front of an old shack. Not a single soul could be seen. "Seth! Roman!" He looked around wildly. "This isn't fucking funny!"

No answer. The only thing he had was the shack. He didn't want to go in there. He didn't. Fuck that. He turned around to just leave but only made it a few short steps. Before he came a pack of wolves, eyes glowing bright yellow and razor sharp teeth stained red with blood. His eyes widened and he turned and ran towards the shack. He could hear the wolves chasing him, snarling, craving his flesh alongside whatever they had already consumed. He practically leapt inside the shack for sanctuary, slamming the door and locking it behind him. The wolves crashed against the door and he fell back, landing hard on the floor. His elbows scraped against the floor and when he rose back to his feet he had trails of blood going down his arms.

"You're getting blood all over the floor darlin."

Dean craned his head back. He didn't know why he was surprised yet there he was, looking like a fool as he saw Bray sitting there in his rocking chair. Harper and Rowan flanked him this time on either side, staring holes right through him. The only light in the room was from Bray's lantern, which was hanging from a hook above the towering figures. Dean sucked in a harsh breath before sneering at them. "Where are they?" he asked. "Where's Seth and Roman?"

"Your boys?" Bray's innocent act seemed a thousand times more sinister than usual. "Your boys...well that's the million dollar question isn't it?" He leaned forward in his chair so his elbows rested on his knees. "Where oh where have your precious boys gone? Oh where oh where can they be?"

"I heard them." Dean clenched his fists and swallowed hard. The terrible feeling in his stomach was back. The big twisting knot that made him want to just throw up. "I heard them what the fuck did you do to them?"

"Me? It's not ME that's the problem here." Bray pointed towards the left. "Go see for yourself. You'll find the door easy enough."

Dean knew he didn't want to go see what was happening. But he did anyway. He had to. He walked through the room and straight out the second door, stumbling upon a scene that made him stop dead in his tracks. Just feet away from him stood a giant wooden pole which Seth and Roman were tied back and back to. Circling the pole pouring liberal amounts of gasoline was...well it was HIM. A mirror image of himself. Shirtless, bloody elbows, hair glistening with sweat. The only difference between them was that he was laughing. Fucking laughing and smiling as he circled the pole, eyes dark as he had seen Bray's get. Roman was trying to reason with him and Seth was just pleading but still he laughed and smiled, drenching the entire area with gasoline. "No no no no no!" Dean tried to rush forward, tried to help but three pairs of hands grabbed him. All three Wyatts snuck up on him and grabbed him, forcing him down to his knees. Holding him so he could only watch.

"It'll be over soon little lamb," Bray said softly. "Just wait."

"LET GO!" Dean tried to rip himself free, his eyes nearly bugging out of his head when his double looked straight at him, smiling as he pulled a lighter out of his pocket. "Wait wait wait make him stop make him stop make him stop-"

"I can't do anything darlin." Bray was laughing now. "This is all you."

The double's smile got bigger as Dean tried to fight harder. "I got the joy, joy, joy joy down in my heart." It was singing now, singing much in the way Bray sang. "Down in my heart. Down in my heart. I've got the joy, joy joy-" It dropped the lighter down mid-song and doubled over laughing as Dean screamed. The fire spread faster than Dean could blink, enveloping Roman and Seth completely. Their screams were horrific but the smell...oh the smell of the burning flesh was so much worse. It hit him like a truck, choking him and he just screamed...

"NO!"

"DEAN! DEAN!"

"Roman what the fuck is wrong with him?"

SLAP! "DEAN GOD DAMN IT!"

The harsh slap and the combined screaming of the scared shitless Roman and Seth roused Dean from the dream. His awakening was violent though, and with flailing arms and voice cracking from his continued screaming he fell out of bed with a hard thud. His legs were tangled in his sheets so he just kept moving his arms until Roman grabbed him by both wrists and forced them down his to his sides.

"Dean!" Slapping him again Roman gave him a hard shake. "Snap out of it!"

Dean froze, the scream dying in his throat. Blue eyes darted around the room anxiously. He was in his hotel room and not some shack in the middle of nowhere. He was with Roman and Seth and not the Wyatts and they were alive not burned to a crisp. Roman was on the floor with him and Seth stood right behind him, both clad only in their boxers. He could still smell their burning flesh though and without even trying to untangle himself from the sheets or Roman he turned his head to the side and threw up right there on the floor. Seth let out a cry of disgust and Roman shook his head. His mouth opened to say something but he stopped himself when he noticed how badly Dean's body was trembling. "Jesus dude what the hell?"

There was no way for Dean to respond. He just kept coughing and gagging, even after he had nothing left in his stomach. Roman's strong arms helped him up and dragged him towards the bathroom, getting his head over the toilet even though it was far too late to do much good.

"I'm not cleaning that shit up in here," Seth announced.

Neither Roman or Dean gave him any kind of response. Roman kept one arm with Dean while managing to grab a towel with his free hand. He quickly soaked it in cold water and placed it on the back of Dean's neck. "Breathe," he ordered as Dean continued to heave. "Breathe Dean come on."

Dean gripped the edges of the toilet bowl tightly, forcing himself to try and do just that. Slowly but surely he was able to obey. His entire body was still trembling though. His legs felt so weak that he was sure he would have fell if Roman still wasn't holding him up.

"Seth get a chair," Roman ordered. "He's gonna fucking faint."

"Fucking christ..." Seth ran out and came back carrying a chair from the round table that was at the table in the corner of their room. He set it behind Dean and helped Roman sit him down. Dean tried to keep his breathing steady so he wouldn't actually pass out. Normally he despised being babied in any way, shape or form but he was just so glad to see they were okay that he didn't care at the moment. "The fuck was he dreaming about?"

"How am I supposed to know?" Roman stared at Dean intently. "What the fuck was that shit?"

Dean shook his head. He couldn't tell them the truth. He had a hard time admiting that shit to himself how was he supposed to tell him.

"Dude fuck no you don't get to shut us out." Seth pushed Roman out of the way so he could get up in Dean's face. "What the fuck was that dream?"

Dean cringed and tried to choose his words as carefully as he possibly could. "There was a fire..." He ran a hand through his hair and licked his lips. His stomach was feeling sick just saying this part but he had to tell them something. "You guys were in it and I couldn't..." he shook his head. "I couldn't do anything it just fucking..." He waved his arms around for effect. That was all he wanted to say on the subject and thankfully that was enough in this case. Seth's face had paled a bit and Roman just sighed.

"What the fuck is wrong with your head?" It was hard to tell whether Roman was being affectionate, exasperated or condescending. The way he palmed the top of Dean's head with one hand didn't really give Dean that clear of an answer. "I mean I'm glad to know you'd care if we died but your brain needs to chill. No fire is taking us anywhere."

"Damn right." Seth's arm went around Dean and Dean at least knew he was being sincere. At heart Seth had always been a nice guy. Perhaps too nice for his own good. "No fire is gonna take us out. Not unless Roman tries to cook again."

"Excuse me?" Roman cocked a single eyebrow up. "You're the one who starts fires I-"

"Sssshhhhhh!" Seth put a single finger to Roman's lips to quiet him. "Sssssshhhhh. None of that now. Just go with me Ro. Just go with me."

The absolutely incredulous look on Roman's face made Dean crack a smile. The dream was temporarily forgotten.

...

The moment Dean arrived at the arena he felt the eyes on him. The ever watchful eyes of Bray. He didn't need to guess who it was. This was far from the first time this had happened. In fact, it had become not only common but was happening more and more. It drove Dean crazy. He knew Bray wanted something out of him but the fact that he just didn't act on it all the time made him feel like it wasn't just sex. Then again, he was sure that it had already been more for Bray for quite awhile now. It had become about power, about control...the stalking was him asserting more power. And Dean didn't know how to combat it. Confronting Bray never worked. Ignoring him didn't seem to be any better. He was fucked. He was totally fucked and in a fit of desperation he went outside to try to get some air. Seth tried to come with him but Dean waved him off. Thinking of ways to end his Bray Wyatt problem couldn't be done with Seth babbling in his ear.

Dean zipped his hoodie as much as he could and shoved his hands deep inside his pockets. He was hiding out behind some of the empty trucks, cigarette dangling from his mouth. He was supposed to have quit but between the lingering images from his dream and Bray's continued stalking left him unable to cope without his trusty cancer sticks. None of them had yet to make him feel better but still he sucked away. Maybe if he did it long enough it would eventually work.

"You know those things will kill you darling."

Dean refused to even look at Bray at first. Instead he looked all around, paranoid of anyone seeing them there together. Isolated or not, all it would take was one moment of his guard being down and that would be when someone would come up on them. And secrets in the WWE didn't stay secrets for very long-especially not when it came to any sort of relationship. If it was at least seen as a normal or expected pairing the big news would die down within a week. Something like him and Bray though? He wouldn't be able to show his face ever. He would never hear the end of it.

"My boys are keeping watch. Nobody is going to interrupt us." Bray stepped in front of Dean and tried to take his cigarette away.

"Yeah I bet they love to watch." Dean slapped Bray's hand away and kept his eyes averted. "Here's my question to you: do you dig it better when they watch?" He finally looked at Bray, making himself sneer obnoxiously. "I mean, you seem to get off on the whole follower thing so-"

"You don't need to be so crude now." Bray tipped his hat back and put both of his hands behind his back. "You look tired." He leaned forward so he could get a close up look at the dark circles under Dean's eyes. "Bad dreams again?"

"None of your business." It took Dean a moment to realize just how Bray had worded that. "What the fuck do you mean again?"

Bray smiled and took advantage of Dean's bafflement to snatch the cigarette from his mouth. "You never are much of a sound sleeper." He tapped a single finger against the center of Dean's forehead. "You have too much going on up here. Too much confusion. It eats away at your brain, at your soul. It messes with your head."

Dean just stared at him incredulously. "What the fuck do you know about my sleeping habits? Are you fucking watching me THEN too?"

"I watch. I listen. Your mother says you didn't sleep well as a child either."

"My mother?" If a line hadn't been crossed before it certainly was now. "What the fuck does she even remember about my sleeping habits? When the fuck did you even talk to her and who fucking gave you the right-"

"Regal says your dreams were troubled too when you had your little thing going on so it's not just a matter of needing to embrace your dark side again." Bray was just rambling again, completely ignoring the fact that Dean was in the process of blowing all his gaskets. "Demons got you so bad and you don't even realize it."

"Fuck my god damn demons!" Dean got in Bray's face and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt. "You fucking stay away from my mother. You stay away from my exes and you fucking stay away from me. No more of this stalking bullshit. No more of your games. No more of this fucked up obsession you have with me."

Bray's eyes narrowed. "You think I'm playing games here?"

"What the fuck else am I supposed to think?" Dean let go of Bray's collar and pushed him away with both hands. "You stalk me and fucking creep up on people from my past and you're saying it's not a game?" He shook his head. "Fuck you. I've played these fucking games you don't think I know this song and dance?"

"And what if I told you it wasn't a game? What if I told you I just wanted to know you better? That I'm just so fascinated by you that I take whatever gleam into your life that I can get?"

Dean shook his head. He didn't buy it. The deliberate reveal Bray had just done negated any possible way there wasn't a game involved.

"Or what if I told you I do it because I could? Because you make it so easy. Because you are mine."

"Fuck if I am."

"That's not what you said just last night." Bray smirked and grabbed Dean's arms, pulling him in close. "Or the night before that. Or the night before that. Or-"

"Fuck you." Dean tried to rip himself out of Bray's grip. "Fuck you I fucking hate you." He tried to rip himself away again but was unsuccessful. "Let me go I fucking swear to god!"

"Or what?" Bray's eyes grew wide. Crazed. Gleeful. "What are you gonna do little lamb? How are you going to stop me? Simple child can't even chase away your own boogeyman!" He slammed Dean back against the truck and pressed their foreheads together. "Dear sweet Dean. Don't you see what you need? Don't you understand?"

"I understand you're a fucking lunatic. That's what I understand."

"Well aren't you just the pot calling the kettle black?" Bray chuckled. "I'd be offended if it wasn't for the irony darlin."

"Go ahead and be offended. I fucking meant all the offense in the fucking world." It wasn't going unnoticed by Dean that Bray was pushing his body up against his. Their mouths were inching dangerously close together. Dean's eyes started to dart around, not satisfied with the fact Harper and Rowan were the ones keeping guard. They were still too exposed, still running so much risk of getting caught. He had to regain control of the situation. "You-oh fuck!"

Bray had taken the liberty to start rubbing his cock through his jeans. Dean smashed their lips together without even thinking about just how bad of an idea it was. The absolute last thing he needed to be doing was encouraging this. There were too many reasons to end the madness yet once again he had fallen apart under Bray's touch. Bray's hand continued to work over Dean's groin, teasing the zipper of his jeans down ever so slowly. Dean's arms wrapped around Bray's neck. He was deepening the kiss, ignoring the desperate need to breathe. His head was spinning and little black dots were dancing in front of his eyes but he couldn't force himself to break away. It was Bray who had to break the kiss.

"Stay with me tonight." Bray unzipped Dean's jeans the rest of the way and reached inside them.

"What?" Dean was caught off guard by the request. He was more focused on Bray's hand, which had slipped past his boxers and wrapped around his growing erection.

"Stay with me tonight." It was hard to tell if it was meant to be an order or a request.

"I can't," Dean tried to object. "Roman and Seth-"

"They won't miss you for one night." Bray started to stroke Dean's cock slowly. "In fact, I don't think they would miss you at all if you stayed with me all the time." He pumped his hand faster. His other hand grabbed Dean by the hair and forced his head back. "Even if they did you and I both know you'd rather be with me anyway."

"Oh fuck..." Dean's closed his eyes. Bray's hand felt so good. Good enough to make him try to nod along with what Bray was saying despite all better judgement. "Fine. Fine. I'll go just keep going."

Bray smirked. "My pleasure." His lips returned on to Dean's and he jerked him off faster, making him cum faster than he would ever like to admit. "Goody boy." Bray kissed Dean again only this time was softer. Almost tender. "I'll be seeing you."

Dean watched him go through half lidded eyes. Once Bray was gone he slid down to the ground and pulled his knees up to his chest. "Stupid," he muttered under his breath. His senses were coming back to him and he started banging the back of his own head against the truck as the realization of just how much deeper he got himself in this whole mess. "Stupid stupid stupid..."


	4. Chapter 4

Alcohol was a poison that claimed a lot of men's souls. At its best, it was merely a small band-aid that served only as a device to let them hide from their real problems. At its worse it twisted them and turned them into snapping monsters whose fury was unleashed on those weaker than them. Bray remembered how his dad used to drink. Made him mean, made him a monster until the day the boat fire happened...the memory of the fire always made Bray smile. He kept that hidden now though. He just stared at Dean, shaking his head in disappointment. Dean had come to him already drunk, ranting and raving about what had happened at Raw earlier. Roman had goaded Dean into defending his United States title and he had nearly lost it to the returning Mark Henry. Bray knew that was eating away at him. Dean had tried to make some snide comments about him and his boys backing down from the confrontation that followed that match but Bray didn't let that bother him. Dean was just mad and lashing out like a wounded animal.

"I've been warning you all along darlin." Bray wanted to rip the bottle of Jack Daniels from his hands but refrained for the time being. "I've been warning you about him I-"

"Shut up." Dean was pacing around the hotel room. He had snuck in like it was a covert operation and now was just throwing a temper tantrum. He hated being wrong. Bray didn't blame him since it wasn't the most pleasant of things but in this case Dean only had himself to blame. He wouldn't listen to Bray and he had paid a price tonight. Not the ultimate price but still there had been a price. "Fucking shut up. I hate it when you gloat."

"It's not gloating darlin." Bray leaned back in his chair, his expression cool and passive as Dean glared at him. "I'm merely stating a fact. I don't say things to you to just hear myself talk. I tell you things for your own good. Maybe if you were a little more receptive-"

"Well gee I'm sorry." Sarcasm oozed from Dean's words. "Here I was thinking you were just fucking with my head." He took a long drink of his whiskey, a thin trail of the brown liquid slipping past his lips and dripping down his chair. "Oh wait!" He threw out his arms, spilling alcohol all over the floor. "You are fucking with me!"

Bray rolled his eyes. "Give me the bottle." He held his hand out. "You've had enough."

"Fuck you." Dean took another drink just to be defiant.

"Give me the bottle." Bray slowly got up to his feet. "I'm not saying it again."

"What are ya gonna do if I don't?" Dean started to take another drink. "You-HEY!" He was taken off guard as Bray snatched the bottle out of his hand. He dived to get it back but Bray simply stepped out of the way. He landed hard on the ground, scraping his face against the carpet as he did so.

"You'll thank me later." Bray walked over to the sink and dumped what remained of the vile drink down the drain. The bottle went straight to the trash after.

"Fuck if I will." Dean pulled himself up to his feet slowly. A large red mark had formed on his chin from his fall. "That cost me twenty bucks asshole."

"Pitiful." Bray walked back over to the intoxicated man, smiling just a bit as Dean started twitching around. Dean seemed to not possess the ability to stand or sit still. Unless he was sleeping he was always moving. His hands, his arms, his shoulders-when he got really animated it was all of the above plus his feet. And what made it all the more precious was that he was completely oblivious to the fact that he did it. He denied it whenever someone brought the fact up and would get mad when Seth and Roman would tease him about it. "Don't pay to pollute your own body sweetheart. You're better than that."

Dean snorted. "I'm really not." He plopped down on the bed and his hand went to his ribs with a grimace. "Shit."

Bray didn't bother to ask him if he was alright. He had no time for stupid questions. Instead he just lifted up Dean's shirt and gently began to run his hands over the bruised flesh, trying to see if anything was broken. Dean hissed but didn't try to swat his hands away. He just put his arm over his eyes and waited until Bray was done before putting it back down.

"What's the diagnosis doc?"

"You'll live." Bray bent over and kissed his ribs softly. Dean's body jerked as his beard tickled his flesh. Bray watched the rise and fall of his chest, taking notice of how shallow the other man's breathing had gotten. "Do you know why I chose you?"

"I don't look like I'm the result of a one night stand between my mom and her cousin?"

Brays' eyes narrowed at the obvious dig at Rowan and Harper. For a brief moment he considered popping Dean in the mouth for it but restrained himself. Violence was a language Dean understood but it wasn't one Bray liked to employ. Violence only worked for so long anyway. "With as big of a whore your mother is I wouldn't be so quick to think she didn't sleep with her cousin."

"Even if she did at least she didn't spawn me as a result." Dean gave him a big shit eating grin. "You didn't say I was wrong you know."

"Oh you are. It just happens so often I forgot you haven't caught on to that fact yet."

"Fuck you." Dean tried to sit up but Bray wouldn't let him. "Aw come on!"

"You still didn't answer my question dove."

"How many nicknames do you fucking have for me?" Dean propped himself up on his elbows and tilted his head to the left. "Seriously. I fucking hate pet names."

"Liar." Bray ran his fingertips over Dean's stomach. "Now guess."

"Ugh..." Dean sighed dramatically. "Just tell me. I hate guessing."

"She led me to you in a dream."

"She?"

"She."

"She who?"

Bray just gave him a look.

"Come on I'm drunk." Dean moved his arms so he was laying completely back. "Cut me a break."

"Abigail. What other she do I ever-"

"Who the blue fuck is Abigail anyway?"

"She led me to you in a dream." Bray just started his explanation again. He didn't see Dean as ready to hear any more of an explanation about Abigail. Especially not in his current state. "She showed me that you needed me. Showed me that I had to pull you from the fire you don't even know you're going to get burned by."

Dean stared at him incredulously. "So now I'm a mission?" He blinked several times. "I'm a fucking mission?"

"Oh you're much more than that." Bray cupped Dean's face in his hand. "You are much, much more than that." He gripped Dean's jaw tightly, digging his nails into the skin. "If only you would let me show it. You could sit with me on the throne and we could watch the world burn if you just let go of this idea that your boys could possibly care about you the way I do."

"They-"

"They'll cast you out the moment they find out about us." Bray's grip wouldn't allow Dean to try to shake his head in a futile denial. "That's why you won't tell them. That's why we hide like this. Only one of us have shame and it's you because you've built over a year of your life on this lie of yours." He shook his head. "And you're so scared of losing it because you've lost so much already in your life. Everything you ever dared to love has gone away but what you don't realize is that you've been putting your faith in all the wrong places." Bray let go of Dean's jaw and went back to his chair. He of course couldn't be sure just how much of his message had gotten through to Dean. Sober or drunk, he was too stubborn for his own good. It was nearly maddening but Bray at least was happy Dean wasn't fighting him hard tonight. Maybe the booze had done some good after all.

Dean slowly rolled off the bed and Bray just waited. Dean walked towards him, stumbling and nearly falling twice before falling down to his knees in front of Bray. Bray raised his eyebrows, not jumping at the chance to speak this time. Dean seemed to be trying to say something but the words kept getting lost. "You want to know what I dreamed of?" he finally managed to say.

Bray immediately nodded. "Tell me."

"There were two of me. Me and a monster me. Like you. And it fucking killed Seth and Roman." Dean glared at Bray hatefully. "I tried to stop it and you made me watch. Said I was doing it but I fucking wasn't I fucking wasn't I-"

"If it was you then technically you were doing it darlin."

"NO I WASN'T! Dean jumped up to his feet. Blue eyes glared angrily at Bray. "I fucking wasn't I tried to stop it." His drunk state was making him ramble faster than usual. His speech was so slurred Bray could understand what he was even saying. "You wouldn't let me you fucking just let it...you fucking made me watch. I can still smell them burning I can fucking smell them I-"

"Sssshhhhhhh." Bray got back up and grabbed Dean by both sides of his head. "Calm down little lamb."

"Fuck you." Dean ripped himself away from Bray's grip. "Fuck you I fucking hate you. Look at what you've done to me."

"I haven't done anything to you that you didn't let happen," Bray pointed out. He backed Dean up against the wall, grabbing his wrists and pinning them both up above his head so he couldn't shove him away. "I've never forced myself on you. You choose to see my actions as me messing with you. You want to see me as a force making you weak when the reality is you never were as strong as you thought you were. You've claimed you were never a victim but that's what you've always been. Beneath all your erratic bravado is just a scared, insecure little boy." Bray smirked at the look on Dean's face before leaning in to whisper in his ear. "What do you think your boys will do when they figure that out?" He placed a light kiss on Dean's earlobe. "What do you think they would do if they found out about your little dream?" He felt Dean's whole body go stiff against him. "I think you'll scare your little friend Seth. Scare him down to his soul. And Roman...well, he's just begging for an excuse to ditch you."

Dean's head dropped. Bray was pleased. He was listening instead of fighting him. That was good. He didn't say these things to hurt Dean. Contrary to what Dean wanted to believe he wasn't saying it to intentionally cause pain. He just needed Dean to see the truth. He could see it plain as day and it would only hurt Dean more in the end if he kept hiding from it.

"Come here little lamb." Enough had been said on the matter. Bray pulled Dean away from the wall, letting his arms go so he could wrap his arms around his waist. He kissed him softly, just leaving his lips on Dean's until his kiss was returned. There it was. That bit of consent. He deepened the kiss, his hands already working on removing Dean's belt. Dean was trying to rid Bray of his shirt but the alcohol he had consumed made his attempts clumsy and unsuccssful. His teeth had already found Bray's lower lip, biting down hard enough to draw blood. Bray let him do it but swatted his hands out of the way so he could just undress the both of them. He moved them to the bed, practically carrying Dean because he could barely walk without falling. Dean's legs spread so Bray could lean between them, spread do eagerly that Bray could have made all kinds of comments if he cared to. But he didn't. He could do so another day if he wished. Instead he ripped his mouth away from Dean's grasp, his lower lip swollen and bloody. He licked his lip clean before kissing his way down to Dean's neck. His teeth sank down into the sensitive flesh, quickly drawing blood and making Dean yelp loudly. The blood and the cry of pain made Bray bite down even hard. His tongue feverishly lapped up the blood before his kissed his way to the other side of Dean's throat. Teeth sank down again even harder than before.

"Gah fuck..." Dean squirmed underneath him. "Fuck fuck fuck..."

Bray's mouth moved down to Dean's chest and then to his stomach before finishing off at his hips. Bloody bite marks followed him in his wake but he wanted more. He wanted to make a whole work of art on Dean's vulnerable body. "Do you trust me darlin?"

Dean just nodded. He was arching his hips up, the head of his rock hard cock rubbing against Bray's stomach. Desperation made him agree to anything.

"Good boy." Bray placed a light kiss on Dean's lips before moving off the bed. He walked over to the trash can and retrieved the empty Jack Daniels bottle. He smashed it against the counter, making Dean jump in surprise. "Relax little lamb." Bray picked up the biggest piece of glass he could get and started to walk back over to the bed. "We're just going to play a little game."

"What the fuck man?" Dean started scooting towards the other side of the bed. "What the fuck are you doing with that?"

"You said you trust me." Bray swiped the bottle of lube he had tucked away in the desk drawer that usually held the complimentary hotel Bible. "Just relax." He got back on the bed and placed the jagged edge of the glass against Dean's chest. He started to move it slowly, tracing intricate patterns all along his exposed chest and stomach. The cuts started completely shallow but slowly started getting deeper and deeper as he went. Dean was frozen underneath him, little whimpers of pain escaping him as Bray got rougher with the glass. Bray put the glass aside for a brief moment and ran his tongue over what he just did. Meanwhile he popped the cap off the lube and spread it over his fingers, being more generous with it than he normally was. He slipped two fingers inside the smaller man, smirking as Dean almost immediately started moving against them. A third finger quickly followed.

"Fuuuck!" Dean threw his head back and moaned. His hands had gripped the bed sheets and his eyes had closed, leaving him blind to the fact Bray had picked up the glass again. His blindness ended in short order though as Bray dug the sharp edge into his inner thigh and cut across sharply. "FUCK GOD DAMN IT!"

Blood flowed from the cut like wine. Bray wrapped his mouth around the wound and sucked on it hard, his teeth ripping it open eve more. Pain was making Dean strike back, kicking and hitting at Bray to make him stop. Bray didn't stop though. His mouth worked the wound more as one hand cut into the other thigh and he moved his fingers faster. The blows stopped as a jolt of pleasure shot through Dean's body. "Oh god fuck you fuck you I fucking hate you." Dean put his hands over his face and said more though it was completely lost on Bray.

Bray's mouth transfered over to his other thigh, giving that one much of the same treatement before he moved himself up over Dean. He ripped his hands away from his face and kissed him hard. Dean tried to push him away but his attempts were weak at best. If one of them had looked at the sheets below them they would have realized Dean had lost a bit more blood than they had thought. Bray was in too much of a frenzy to notice yet. He was too focused on kissing Dean, waiting until Dean kissed him back before thrusting inside of him. He pounded into the bloodied man, his arms wrapped around him and pushing them together so there wasn't an inch of space between them. Dean's arms rested on Bray's shoulders, his hands clasped around the back of his head. If Bray had got to choose he would have stayed in that moment forever. Forever tangled with his dark little Dean but their releases soon came and Dean's body went limp almost immediately after. Bray took a moment to catch his breath, nuzzling his face against his unconscious lover's before getting up. Dean was not only out but his body was a complete mess from their little session.

"Come here darlin." Bray very gently scooped Dean up into his arms. The blood on the sheets was finally noticed. Bray kissed Dean's forehead apologetically. He had gotten a little carried away but he would take care of. Clean Dean up, dress his wounds, get rid of the bloody sheets, watch Dean sleep before he woke up and started acting like he had some sort of virtue that needed protecting-a simple plan for sure and one that would go unappreciated but it didn't matter. He had Dean. He had him a lot more than what the other man would admit but it was okay because he knew the truth. And he knew that there was nothing anybody was going to be able to do about it.


	5. Chapter 5

Finding out who Dean was sneaking around with was a process Seth was finding easier said than done. There were of course people he could eliminate off the list right off the bat. But even with those names crossed off, there were still so many possibilities. He had to narrow it down more but he wasn't sure how. He couldn't just go around asking people if they had been sleeping with Dean. Wanting to know himself didn't mean he wanted the whole locker room to know as well. He had been trying to get Roman to help him but the older man had been having none of it. Leave him alone Roman had said. Dean's erratic he said. Dean would tell them if he wanted to. He had capped it off by telling Seth he needed to not be so nosy.

"Nosy my ass," Seth muttered as he walked alone into the Denny's across the street from the hotel. "I'm not nosy." He looked around the place, hoping the tip he got from Axel was correct. To his relief it was. "AJ! Tamina!" He walked over to the booth the Divas champion and her bodyguard were sitting in. His call to them left them both perplexed and AJ looked especially bothered when Seth took the liberty of just plopping down next to her.

"What do you want?" she asked as she scooted all the way over to the wall to get away from him.

"You have five seconds," Tamina interjected before he could answer. "Make them count."

There went Seth's plan to butter them up. "I'll pay you two hundred dollars if you help me find out who Dean is sneaking around with." Yes he went straight for bribery. He had to. AJ and Tamina were good at finding things out they didn't do it for free. They didn't care enough to. That's what made them even more ideal. They could help and would keep quiet about it after. Tamina barely spoke to begin with and AJ was almost universally disliked by the locker room so she had nobody to tell it to anyway.

AJ frowned. "What? You mean he's not sleeping with you and Roman?" Her frown turned into a smirk. "Trouble in paradise Sethie? How tragic."

"It's not trouble. It's...a hiccup."

"Why don't you ask Alicia or Brie or Nikki or someone?" Tamina took a sip of her tea as she glared at him. "Why us?"

"Because Alicia will tell everyone else and Brie and Nikki won't help me. I helped beat up their boyfriends too much." Seth shrugged his shoulders. "I guess they're sensitive about stuff like that."

"Believe me, those two are sensitive about a lot of stuff." AJ turned herself a bit so her body was facing Seth. "So really, you just want to know what he's up to? Do you want pictures, live commentary-"

"I just want to know." Seth reached into his pocket and pulled out a hundred dollar bill. "You can have this half now and the rest when you bring me results."

"What if I want it all up front?"

"Axel told me how you ripped him off that one time do you think I'm as stupid as him?"

AJ chuckled. "Fine." She held out her hand. "Give it to me and we'll see what we can find."

Seth put the money in her hand. "Just come to me with it when you find out. Roman don't know and he'll get mad if he finds out I'm paying you for this."

"Naughty naughty Sethie..."

"Yeah." Seth gave them a self-satisfied smile. "I'm bad to the bone."

AJ and Tamina just looked at each other before just laughing at him.

...

After managing to untangle himself from Bray and his rather increasing grasp, Dean went straight to the arena for Smackdown. He was supposed to meet Seth and Roman at the gym but there was no way he felt up to it. His entire body hurt. His head was pounding, his chest and stomach stung and his thighs...god those were the worst. Bray had cleaned him up when he slept but it still hurt so bad. So there he sat alone on the locker room floor, legs spread out in front of him and arms hugging his chest. He had thought he wanted to be alone but now he wish he wasn't. He wasn't sure when Seth and Roman were coming to the arena. He wasn't sure when Bray was coming. He didn't know what he would do if Bray got to him before Roman and Seth did. After the stuff with the glass he knew he should just tell Bray to fuck off but he knew he wouldn't. That was the sick part. His body was carved up to shit yet if he had to go back in time and do it again he would. He was just that far gone.

Shivering, Dean reached down and started rubbing his glass induced wounds through his jeans. He was going to make himself start bleeding again but he didn't care. He closed his eyes and bit his lower lip. Bile had risen in the back of his throat but he didn't want to throw up. He had already gotten sick once and it had made him hurt worse than he had before.

_"Let it out darlin." Bray rubbed circles on Dean's back as the brunette kept his head buried deep in the toilet bowl. Two mornings in a row involving vomiting was a record he hadn't achieved in quite awhile. At least he hadn't done it all over the floor this time. That was the small favor in all of this._

_"Just fucking kill me," Dean manage to groan. He pushed himself up to his feet and flushed the toilet. His legs were weak and blood was running down from his thighs to his knees. He grabbed on to the edge of the sink for support. He caught a brief sight of his own reflection but quickly averted his eyes. He looked like pure dog shit._

_"Here." Bray handed him a toothbrush and toothpaste. Dean's grunt was the closest to a thank you that was going to happen. Bray didn't seem to mind. Instead he just wrapped his arms around Dean from behind and started singing softly under his breath. Dean froze, tense until small kisses started being placed on his back. He let out a sigh and leaned back into the embrace, content there for just that moment._

Hands balled into fists and Dean hit himself on either side of his still throbbing head. No more thinking. Thinking was just getting him into trouble. He was just getting himself into trouble period. He was just so remarkably good at fucking things up. He always had been. His entire life had been one misstep after another and now he was here. Sneaking around and playing a dangerous game of fuck a psychopath. People thought he was one but Bray was on a whole different level. And he couldn't break away. He wasn't even sure if he wanted to. Seth and Roman would eventually leave him he was certain. Bray didn't need to tell him that over and over again for him to know it was true. Everyone left him eventually. His father, his mother, Sami, Regal-anyone who was supposed to be or promised to be there for him eventually let him down. Why would Seth and Roman be different? Hell, why would Bray be different? Nobody could really love him. Nobody had before so why would they start now? Why would it ever change?

The locker room door opening brought Dean out of his thoughts. It was Roman coming in. The Samoan was surprisingly without Seth at the moment. The moment their eyes met Roman stopped and he looked both relieved and exasperated. "You look like shit man." He closed the locker room door behind him and put his bag down. "Where the fuck were you? Seth and I called you a million times."

"I was um...busy."

"Busy what? Going on a bender?" Roman shook his head. "You're nearly thirty man-"

"I'm twenty eight."

"Which is nearly thirty. Which means you're too old for this shit." Roman started to walk over to the bench to sit down but stopped when Dean didn't give his usual indigiant argument for being told he was too old to party. Dark eyes stared through Dean, who dropped his gaze and picked at his shirt. "Yo man, seriously, are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Dean lied. "I just uh..." his voice trailed off as he looked up to see Roman staring wide eyed at him. "What?"

"What the _fuck_ happened to your neck?" Roman closed the distance between them faster than Dean could blink. The older man dropped down to his knees and turned Dean's head from side to side so he could see both of the nasty bite marks on his neck more clearly. "Did you get attacked or something? Did a fucking vampire get you?"

Dean tried to push Roman away. "Vampires aren't real asshole."

"Sure looks like one got to you anyway."

"It's just a love bite-"

"Love bites don't look like this shit."

"It's not that bad." Dean put his hands on to his neck and winced as he literally felt the indent of Bray's teeth still in his skin. Shit. He had been so focused on other shit he hadn't realized how bad the bites were. He needed to kill Bray now.

"Who did that man?" Roman wasn't letting the subject go.

"It was an accident." No it wasn't but he couldn't tell Roman that. "It just was a little rough I-"

"Who was it?"

"Nobody."

"Bullshit."

"Why do you care so much?"

Roman looked insulted by that question. "I'm your friend you idiot. You fucking disappear on us and come back looking like you got mauled-"

"Like this is even the worst of it."

"Excuse me?"

Dean froze, just realizing he had said that out loud. "Nothing." He pushed himself up to his feet, not hiding his wincing as well as he would have liked. "I didn't say anything."

"Dean-"

"Ro come on I'm fine." Dean shook off Roman's hand and tried to put as much distance between them. "I appreciate the concern but I'm fine. Really."

Roman got back up to his feet as well. He didn't look convinced. He looked so far from convinced that Dean almost forgot why he even bothered to lie in the first place. "Dean seriously don't fucking protect some asshole." He stood up but kept his distance this time. "Someone does something to you they deal with me."

Dean snorted. "What am I Seth now? Big bad Roman is gonna protect me?"

"Yes."

Dean stiffened. The answer was so quick but not in the way that it was covering tracks. It was quick like it was just a no brainer. Quick as in despite their differences and arguing Roman actually did care about him. And it threw him for a loop. Part of him wanted to scoff, to tell Roman he was full of shit. Roman cared about Seth that was it. That was where his heart was at the end of the day. Yet he wanted to believe what he had just been told. He did. He wanted the denials he had thrown Bray's way to be true. He wanted to be right, to not have placed his faith in people who would just hurt him again. Part of him even thought just for a moment of telling Roman the truth. To throw himself at his mercy and tell him every dirty little thing Bray had done to him. Beg him for salvation, to just promise that he and Seth would love him forever and give him the strength to end it with Bray once and for all. The fear of rejection still won out though. Dean kept himself quiet and Roman finally sensed he wasn't going to get anywhere. He sighed and closed the distance between them again, this time grabbing him by the back of his head and pulling him into a one armed hug.

"Come on. We got a match to get ready for."


	6. Chapter 6

Luke Harper was troubled. He didn't want to be but he couldn't help it. Over the past number of weeks he had watched Bray's fascination with Dean Ambrose grow. It was something he hadn't given any thought to at first. Bray was Bray and he always had a reason for doing what he did. Even if the rest of them didn't understand it at first it was okay. Bray was their leader. Bray knew all and they trusted him completely. But Harper did not trust Ambrose. Not one little bit. Ambrose was trash. A piece of gutter trash that Bray was convinced he saw gold in but Harper only saw a rat that needed to be squashed. He never dared to voice this opinion out loud. It wasn't his place. He didn't want Bray to think he was losing his faith in him. That wasn't the case at all. He just worried that this would turn out to be another Daniel Bryan incident. Bryan fooling them had hurt Bray deeply and Harper had vowed afterwards that it would never happen again. The man who had saved him would never be hurt like that again.

Dean Ambrose would suffer a fate worse than death if he tried.

"He misses him." Rowan's voice startled Harper. The bald man spoke so rarely Harper almost forgot he could sometimes.

"Does he now?" They had only recently got back to the compound and Bray had retreated to his room until it had been time for supper. Afterwards he had gone outside and had been out there ever since, just sitting on his rocking chair and looking up at the sky.

Rowan nodded. He didn't look particularly happy either. They hadn't discussed it but Harper was sure Rowan shared many of the same views about Dean as he did. It was a small comfort that someone around there shared his thoughts.

Harper moved to stand by Rowan at the window. Bray's back was to them as he rocked back and forth in his chair. Harper watched silently, his hand going to Rowan's shoulder as he felt the other man start to seethe. The jealousy was written clearly in his face. He was jealous of the attention Bray was pouring into Dean. He didn't question Bray either. His trust in him ran as deep as Harper's. But the jealousy was there, bubbling inside of him. And unlike Harper, Rowan wasn't one to contain himself forever. All it would take was one little loss of control. One moment where Harper wasn't watching him fully. One little moment where Bray wasn't doing so either. One little moment where Ambrose went too far and then Rowan would go after him like a wild beast. What Bray would do if that happened he wasn't sure. What he was sure was that he wouldn't actually mind if some harm came to Dean.

He wouldn't mind one little bit.

...

Bray always thought the view of the stars looked the best from his spot on his own front porch. His compound was in the middle of nowhere so there were no cars or buildings to hide the light above them. It was only him, his family, the forest and the swamp that held the bullfrogs that created a symphony for him to listen to as he sat. It should have been perfect. It normally was. Yet he was still troubled. Upset. Upset because there was no Dean there with him. Dean had gone home to Las Vegas. Four days and over sixteen hundred miles separated the two of them. It was unacceptable. He may had been able to handle it before but it was becoming clear to him now that this would no longer be the case. And that in itself bothered him. He wanted Dean to be the one to break down. To be the one who broke down and sought him out. To be unable to even breathe without him. And he did think they were heading to that point. It was taking longer than he would have liked but it was hard to rid Dean of his stubbornness. Yet there he was, feeling the things he wanted Dean to feel so passionately it was nearly maddening.

He got up out of his chair and walked down the porch stairs. He could feel Harper and Rowan's eyes on him through the window but he paid them no mind. Instead he just kept walking, going into the forest and following the path down to the swamp. It was a path he knew like the back of his hand. It was a path he had walked down many times with Abigail. She was the first one to ever take him down this way. She had taken him by the hand and led him and he had been oh so willing to follow. She told him so many things on their walks. Things she told nobody else. They all had loved her, they all would have been glad to learn her lessons but it was him she had chosen to teach. Him above all else she saw something in. He still talked to her sometimes. He could hear her soothing voice in his head, singing to him, guiding him. He could still see her. He could see her now. Her hair shining in the moonlight. The edges of her blue dress brushing against the grass. Her feet bare and toes curling each time she stepped in mud. He wished she still lived because he wanted to show her Dean. To show her that the gift she had led him to was much appreciated.

He walked until he reached the water and then got down to his knees. The muddy water nearly turned his pants black but he didn't care. He could hear Abigail singing, could feel her brush against him as she reached to the water and started moving her hands in it. The movement created ripples and from the ripples came an image of Dean. Despite the dark and the muddy water Bray could see him clear as day. Hair that desperately needed brushing, that leather jacket he wore absolutely everywhere except down to the ring, those fuckable lips, those blue eyes that begged for salvation...oh how they begged even when the rest of him wouldn't. Bray reached out and touched that face, fingers lingering over those eyes.

"Go to him," Abigail whispered. Bray could feel her breath by his ear and he shivered. "Bring him home."

Bring him home...the mantra started to play over and over again in his head. Bring him home bring him home. He stood back up and started to walk back to the house. It felt silly that the answer hadn't come to him sooner but he didn't dwell on it. He didn't have that kind of time to waste.

...

"We shouldn't have let him go home alone."

Seth sighed as he dried himself off. He and Roman had just got out of the shower and the topic had returned to Dean. Bite marks on Dean's neck along with his unwillingness to share just who it was he was seeing had raised the alarm for Roman. The bites alone weren't as much as a concern to Seth. Dean used to mark him like that all the time. Roman wasn't as rough and crazy in the bedroom as Dean was; he got freaked out over that kind of stuff. The secrecy of the whole thing was what was getting to Seth. It didn't feel like Dean was just being private about it. Roman had said Dean looked scared to tell him. Legit scared. That right there was helping to fuel Roman's beliefs about Dean being mistreated and it did make Seth uneasy as well. Dean wasn't one to be scared of things. An unreasonable phobia to friendly clowns aside, Seth had never seen him scared of anyone or anything.

"He would have just freaked out on us if you pushed the matter." Seth knew he was at least right about that. "We can't force him to-"

"Bullshit." Roman wasn't even bothering to dry himself off. He was just pacing around with only water droplets on his muscular body. "It'd be for his own god damn good." His hands balled up into fists as he ranted on. "That's what he fucking needs Seth. We can't coddle his stupid self-destructive ways. We're not enablers. Or we shouldn't be anyway."

"Being careful about shit isn't enabling. I'm not saying we should enable anything. But we'll push him away if we're not careful and then what are we going to do?"

"Fucking slap him until he sees we're doing this for his own good."

Seth shook his head. Roman was frustrated and worried he didn't want to see how things really needed to handled. Dean wasn't one who was used to concern. He didn't know how to handle it. "Let's find out who he's with and then figure out what to do."

"And how do you suppose we do that?"

"I uh...am working on it."

Roman raised his eyebrows. "Your handling of it doesn't involve Tamina and AJ does it?"

Seth froze. "What uh-what makes you think that?"

"I couldn't find you yesterday and Axel told me where you were. The rest I just assumed on my own." Roman looked at Seth, just waiting to see if he would try to deny it. When Seth couldn't Roman just ruffled his hair affectionately. "Forget what I said before. You being a nosy shit is a good thing."

Seth smirked. "How long is that attitude gonna last?"

Roman shrugged. "Probably not long. Enjoy it while it lasts."

Seth almost laughed but then his thoughts turned back to Dean and his face fell. "Do you think he's really in that bad of trouble?"

Roman was silent for a moment. He knew what Seth wanted to hear. He wanted to say it to appease him but he didn't. He wasn't much for lying. "I hope not. I really hope not."

...

_Large fingers dug into Dean's hips roughly, pinching the skin to leave bruises behind. The hands attached to the fingers guided his movements, which had grown faster and more desperate with every breath he managed to suck in. It was hard to even do that with Bray's mouth over his. Their kisses were sloppy, tongues slipping in and out of each other's mouth and making a mix of saliva on their chins. Bray's chair creaked and rocked wildly with every powerful thrust. Dean's head was spinning. His lungs burned. He tried to pull his head back so he could catch his breath but Bray refused to let him go. He growled possessively, his fingers pinching Dean harder for doing that without his permission. To be defiant he jerked his head away violently. A muscle pulled in his neck in the process but he didn't care. He was too busy gasping for much needed air. He saw Bray's eyes darken and Dean glared right back at him._

_"Fuck you I'm allowed to breathe."_

_"Is that so little lamb?" The question was spoken softly but Dean was coming to learn that was just as if not more dangerous tone than his yelling._

_"Yeah it's so." Defiant and stupid to the end. Dean figured they could carve that on his headstone._

_One of Bray's hands moved from his hips and closed around his mouth and nose. Dean's eyes widened and suddenly he was getting no air at all. Bray's eyes lit up as Dean struggled to pull away again. His other arm snaked around Dean's waist to hold him in place better. He thrusted up harder, watching in pure delight as Dean's eyes nearly rolled into the back of his head. His chest was burning again. Burning so bad he wanted to explode. Eyes watered as he started to feel lightheaded. The lack of oxygen mixed with Bray continuously moving inside of him was too much. His cock begged for attention, begged for release but Bray hadn't touched it. Dean tried to do it himself but he barely touched it before Bray took his hand off his mouth to catch his wrist._

_"Not yet dove. Not yet."_

Dean whined in his sleep. The sunlight was pouring in past the curtains but that didn't wake him as it usually did. He had spent the night drinking at various bars and had barely made it home before he passed out. But now he couldn't even be at peace during his drunken stupors. He was sweating in his sleep, his sheets kicked off to the floor alongside the clothes he had taken off earlier. Goosebumps decorated his naked flesh. One of his hands was wrapped around his shaft while the other clawed once again at the cuts on his thighs. They were never going to heal right if he didn't leave them alone but he was in no state to realize or care.

_They were off the chair now. Bray had bent him over a table with both his hands tied behind his back with rope. Dean didn't have the slightest idea where it had come from. Bray had tied him up real good though. He couldn't even wiggle his own fingers. Bray stood behind him, one hand over Dean's bound hands and the other on the back of his neck. The hands gripped him tight as he fucked him. Every thrust drove the table against the wall and rocked Dean's body up and down the smooth wood. The smacking of their skin mixed with Dean's moans and Bray's talking. Talking talking talking he was always fucking talking. He was saying something about lambs and fire and some other shit. Dean couldn't understand him. He couldn't focus enough to. All he could do was writhe, his attempts to beg for release just as lost on Bray as he cooed and babbled on._

"Ugh...umph...fuuck." Dean's eyes were still tightly shut as his hand pumped his shaft faster. He rolled over on to his stomach, mimicking his current dream position as much as he could. His head turned to the left and in lieu of being able to ben over a table he tucked his knees up to his chest and arched his ass up into the air. He stroked himself faster, his neck hurting from the way he had his head turned.

_"Do you want to cum little lamb?" Bray's words were finally becoming clear. Maybe he was just talking louder. Maybe Dean was just listening better._

_Dean moaned in response._

_"What was that now?" Bray stopped moving completely. "I didn't quite catch that."_

_Dean whined and tried to move his hips back._

_"Nooo no no no." Bray grabbed a fistful of Dean's hair and pulled back. "Say it. Tell me what you want."_

_"P-p-please." Dean could barely formulate that simple word._

_"Please what?" Bray yanked back on his hair harder. "I didn't catch that now darlin. Tell me what you want or only one of us is getting what he wants tonight."_

_"I wanna cum." Dean finally mangaed to say._

Dean was mumbling out loud in his sleep but the words were all jumbled. He was stroking himself faster, his hips thrusting into his hand desperately. He was so close. He turned his head face down on the mat and bit down on the pillow. Unbeknownst to him he had an audience. An audience who was more than enjoying the show.

_Bray pulled out of Dean long enough to flip him over on his back. Laying on his bound hands was far from ideal but Dean didn't care once Bray was back inside him. His legs hooked around his waist and he tried to close his eyes as Bray's hand wrapped around his cock and finally stroked it. Bray's other hand though grabbed his hair and twisted on his scalp until he opened his eyes once more. "Look at me little lamb." Bray's eyes locked on to his. Locked on to his very soul. Bray's forehead pressed against his and his strokes became faster. Dean gasped and Bray's mouth captured his as his release spilled between them._

Dean's body collapsed down on to his own cum. The feeling of his own sticky mess made him open his eyes. Within seconds images from the dream started replaying themselves in his head. His entire body flushed in shame. "Fuck fuck fuck!" He smacked himself on the head several times to chase away his thoughts. "Fucking Wyatt," he muttered. He rolled off the bed with the intention of heading to the bathroom to shower. His body froze though when he saw who was in his bedroom doorway.

"Hello darlin." Bray smiled like there was nothing wrong with the mere fact he was there. "Miss me?"

Dean just screamed.


	7. Chapter 7

"What's the matter darlin? Aren't you happy to see me?"

Dean couldn't formulate a single word. He stared wide eyed at Bray, his mouth hanging open in shock. How had he gotten in there? He had locked the door he always locked the door. Even when he was completely drunk out of his mind he locked his door. He was on the third floor of the apartment complex he didn't think Bray could climb through a window...unless he left the one above the fire escape stairs open. But he was sure he hadn't. He very rarely opened any windows. He just cranked on a fan or the air conditioning when he got warm. So how the fuck had Bray gotten in? The question kept repeating itself in Dean's mind. And Bray knew it. Dean could tell just from the way he was smiling that he knew. "How-"

"I have my ways," was Bray's reply. Of course he was keeping his answer cryptic. He wasn't going to just give up his secret. "You didn't answer my question though darlin. Aren't you happy to see me?"

"Fuck no what the fuck are you doing in here?" Dean's voice cracked at about three octaves higher than it normally was. His heart was pounding inside his chest. He didn't know what he was going to do. Bray wouldn't just leave he knew that right now. And he couldn't just run. His bedroom window wasn't the one by the fire escape and Bray had the door blocked.

"I couldn't stay away darlin." Bray's eyes wandered around the room, taking in the sparsely decorated room. "You know, I think some people would be surprised by your place." He placed his fingers against the plain white wall and started walking. "You embody such chaos but this place is so clean. So empty." He glanced around before settling his gaze back on Dean. "Of course, some of us know your take on possessions."

Dean didn't say anything. He was too busy trying to edge his way towards the door. His clothes still laid on the floor but he wasn't about to take the time and grab them. He didn't dare.

"Possessions are there to be taken. At least yours always was." Bray went to the dresser and started rummaging through the drawers. "The thing of it is though, you were never properly taught how to protect those possessions." He kept rummaging right on through the drawers, seemingly oblivious to the fact that Dean was almost to the bedroom door. "I'm not saying one should have too many possessions. Greed is a slippery sin to slide into. But there's always exceptions to be made." He turned to look back at Dean, his face lighting up with maniacal glee. "We have to allow ourselves some pleasures in life. One great possession to have and to hold. Do you want to guess what mine is?"

No. Dean didn't want to know at all because he was certain Bray was talking about him. "I'm not in the fucking mood for this Wyatt." He had to clear his throat so his voice didn't crack again. "You know what I'm gonna do?" He was sounding a lot braver than he felt. He didn't want to say he was scared but god help him he was. "I'm going to go in the shower and if you're not gone by the time I get out-"

"You'll what? Call the cops? Call your boys?" Bray laughed. "Why don't you do it?" He reached down and grabbed the jeans that were on the floor. "Do it right now!" He pulled Dean's cell phone out of his pocket and tossed it at him. Dean barely caught it. "I dare you. Call the cops, call your boys, call Vince, call Hunter-call the whole world so I may break my own silence." He closed the distance between him and Dean, pushing the other man against the wall. "I have so much I can tell them. All your dirty little secrets exposed-"

"They won't believe you." Dean didn't know who he was trying to convince here. "The cops won't believe you I'll fucking tell "

"So do it!" Bray pointed to the phone in Dean's hand. "It's why I gave it to you. Tell them! I'll let them take me quietly. And when Hunter calls you can tell him the same thing though I promise you he will know just how much you were begging for me to be here."

"I wasn't-"

"Then just who were you thinking of when you put on that little show?"

Dean's body initially turned red but the dangerous glint in Bray's eyes quickly made him turn pale instead. There was more than a little of a jealous edge in his voice. The seemingly unspoken promise that hell would come Dean's way if he didn't give the right answer. He shivered. How had he let things get this far? How did it spiral from just shame inducing sex to something where he had become a possession? Where Bray had actually become obsessed with him. Where he was scared in his own home. His own home wasn't safe. Bray was taking over his life at his own will and it made him feel so violated. He needed to make that call to the police. But he was frozen. Not because of the thought of this whole relationship reaching Roman and Seth. No, in that moment he was more scared of what would actually happen if he did make that call. The police couldn't teleport to his apartment he would still be alone with Bray. And even if Bray didn't do anything to him in that time period the police wouldn't hold him forever. Bray would get out and then what? Bray wouldn't just leave him alone. He would still be around, his obsession growing.

"You didn't answer me little lamb." Bray gripped Dean's chin with one hand while the other rested against his chest. He felt Dean's quickened heartbeat and smirked. "What are you afraid of little lamb? Was it really not me you were thinking of?"

"It was you alright? Fucking bastard." Dean tried to push Bray back. The fear was starting to give way to an unwanted electric like buzz. It rose up from somewhere deep in his stomach and spread through his body like wildfire. He didn't want it but he couldn't make it stop. Not with Bray still so close to him. He was sick. Sicker than he thought he was to begin with because there was a part of him that didn't want to throw Bray out. Not just from the fear of what that could set off but because...well actually he had no earthly idea what was possessing him anymore. He didn't know if it was something Bray had created in him or something that had just been woken up. He had to stop it though. He couldn't let this go on. Whatever desire for Bray he had it had to stop. It had to stop now. "Get out."

"I told you what to do if you want that." Bray took the cell phone from Dean's hand and tapped him lightly on the chin with it. "Why don't you do it? What's stopping you?" He kept tapping the phone against Dean's chin. "I gave you an open invitation."

"Just get out," Dean repeated. He grabbed the phone to try to take it back but now Bray wasn't letting go. "Please."

"Maybe I should do it for you." Bray stepped back and ripped the phone away from Dean. "Who shall it be? Police? Our glorious boss Mr. McMahon?" He started scrolling through Dean's contacts. "Hunter and Stephanie? Or Sami or-of course! Let's talk to Mr. Rollins."

"Don't-"

Too late. Bray had pressed Seth's number on the speed dial. Dean launched himself wildly at the other man in a desperate attempt to get the phone back. Bray quickly side stepped him, wrapping one arm around Dean and trapping his arms against him and pulled him into a crushing hug. "Tell him love. Tell him."

"No!" Dean tried to wiggle out of Bray's grasp.

"Tell him!"

"N-"

"Dean?" Seth's voice made Dean freeze. The caller ID on the younger man's phone had given him away.

Dean craned his neck and gave Bray a panicked look. Bray just smiled and waited to see what Dean would do.

"Dean?" Seth's voice came through again. "Dean what the hell are you there?"

"What the fuck is going on?" Roman's voice boomed in the background.

"Dean's on the phone but he's not answering m-hey!"

"Dean!"

"Ooooooh Daddy's mad," Bray whispered.

"Dean god damn it say something!"

"I um...fuck sorry I was trying to um...call pizza." Dean's excuse sounded so lame there was no way Roman and Seth were going to buy it. "I'm drunk still I just want pizza."

"It's two in the god damn afternoon how are you still drunk?"

"It's noon there Rome."

"That's still fucking late to be drunk-"

"Guys I'm fine I'm just gonna call the pizza guy now." Dean looked to Bray, mouthing at him to hang up. Bray obliged but within seconds the phone ended up tossed against the wall so hard the screen cracked.

"Your hiding is becoming tiresome." Bray turned Dean back around and shook his head. "Don't you ever get tired of stacking up those lies? Don't you ever think they're not really your friends if you can lie to them so easy?"

"Stop it." Dean pushed Bray away. He felt like such shit to begin with he didn't need it rubbed in his face so relentlessly. "Fucking just stop it and get out!"

"No."

"No?"

"No."

"Fine then. I'll go." Dean tried to grab his clothes so he could get dressed and do just that. He didn't get to even touch any of the discarded garments. Bray yanked him back and captured his lips in a kiss. The electric buzz hit him again at full force. It hit him so hard that his knees buckled and he moaned into Bray's mouth. Bray's tongue found his, deepening the kiss and giving him no choice but to return it. There he was, falling further down. He could have stopped it but he didn't. He felt Bray laugh as they kissed. A triumphant laugh that made Dean burn on the inside. His mind told him to punch the shit out of Bray but his body started trying to get him towards the bed instead. How that was going to make things any better was beyond him. Maybe he could fuck Bray into not gloating. Wasn't his greatest of plans but it was the one he was going for anyway. That wasn't the bait Bray was taking though. Bray broke the kiss and just looked at Dean, who shifted uncomfortably under his gaze. "What?

"You want to know the real reason I came here?"

"To be a freak?"

That comment went ignored. "She told me to bring you home."

Dean froze. There was almost the immediate question of who she was but then he remembered Abigail. The ever mysterious Abigail who he remembered Bray saying something about her being dead in a promo or something before. That made all his talk about her that much more disturbing. Who the hell ran around talking to a dead chick? "What?"

"She said to bring you home."

"I...I am home?" Dean looked around his bedroom and nodded nervously. "Yeah. Yeah this feels plenty like home to me."

"Little lamb-"

"No. No no no no hell no I'm not going to a goddamn swamp with you." And now the regret of not saying anything to Seth and Roman was kicking in big time. "Look, you can stay here if you want." That was trouble within itself but at the moment it had become the lesser of two evils.

"And why do I think that offer isn't genuine?" Bray tilted his head just a little to the side. "And why do you think I want to stay here where you'll whine unless I stay hidden?"

"And why do you think I want to go down to the swamp just because some dead bitch-"

Dean didn't see the blow coming. The right hand clobbered him right in the jaw, sending him crashing to the ground. Hands grabbed his arm and before he could stop seeing stars his shoulder was ripped out of his socket. His scream of pain was cut off by one hand grabbing him by the scalp and the other by his throat. He was slammed back first into the wall and Bray snarled at him, a completely inhuman snarl that made Dean freeze any struggles he was still putting up.

"I'll only tell you this once: be very, VERY careful about what you say about Abigail." Bray's grip on Dean's throat tightened to the point he couldn't breathe at all. "This is the only warning you will get."

This was the warning? Dean was going to need him to look up the meaning to that word again. He raised his good arm and tried to pry Bray's hand off his neck. That electric buzz was filling him again, reminding him of Bray suffocating him in his dream and how good it had felt then...he could feel his cock start to twitch at the memory and he immediately tried to push it out of his mind. He had to focus on something else. Like the fact that he was going to pass out if Bray didn't let his neck go soon. Or the fact that his left arm was just hanging there like it had when Regal had dislocated it in the ring. Only this time it hurt a lot more. Maybe it was because there was no adrenaline from a match to get him through it. Or maybe Bray had gone and actually tore something. It was starting to matter less and less because his vision started to go darker and darker. His lungs burned for air, burned so bad it was nothing like he had ever felt before.

Bray waited until Dean's body was almost limp before tossing him to the bed. Dean gasped. The sudden rush of air to his lungs made him cough violently. He opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out. His throat hurt too much to speak. He could only watch as Bray circled the bed, the wheels in his head turning. Dean could feel the anger still radiating off of him. He braced himself for another attack but it didn't come. Bray looked like he seriously wanted to do it but he didn't.

"Come here." He didn't wait for Dean to come to him despite his command. He just grabbed him and before Dean knew what was happening he put Dean's shoulder back in its socket. Dean yelped and tried to jerk away but Bray still held him fast. "Why do you insist on making everything so difficult?" Bray looked both exasperated and genuinely curious. "You and I both know what your black little heart wants." His head dropped down and he placed a small kiss on Dean's chest. "You scream at me to get out but turn down the chance to make me go. You scream that you hate me but you fold under my touch every single time. Maybe it's time to stop fighting this war on yourself. Maybe it's time to stop feeding yourself the lies that cause such conflict and make you stand without any conviction." Bray's hand gripped Dean's still sore shoulder. "You grasp for some light like it's a beacon of hope but you know deep down it's a train waiting to hit you. They'll hurt you-"

"Says the guy who just hit me?" Dean sneered but he didn't push Bray away. His mind screamed to but his resistance as always was in his words. Bray was right he lacked conviction. He couldn't back himself up even though he wanted to.

"I'm not talking physical pain dove. They'll crush you. Stomp on what's left of your heart and spit you out and then who will be left to pick up the pieces?" Bray pressed his forehead to Dean's. "You can prolong this as long as you want but in the end they'll cast you out. Because nobody will ever love you the way I do." Bray kissed him hard to seal those words, to kill any fight Dean could have still put up. To defeat him mentally once again and leave him subject to his ever growing will. "Come on now darlin. We're going home."

 


	8. Chapter 8

"Try it again."

"He didn't answer the last five times why would he answer now?" Roman gave Seth an irritated look. Dean's phone call had amped the tension up between them and his not answering any of their return calls wasn't helping the matter. Something had felt off in the call Dean had made. They had gotten more than their share of drunk calls from him and this one felt wrong. Dean was a loud, obnoxious drunk, not a stammering nervous mess he had clearly been there.

"Don't yell at me!"

"I'm not yelling."

"You were yelling!" Seth insisted.

"NO I WASN'T!" Whoops. There went that argument. Seth flinched and Roman insantly felt bad. It wasn't something he could really dwell on at the moment. Maybe he was overreacting but with Dean not answering and neither him or Seth knowing the number to any of his neighbors there seemed to be only one logical thing to do. "Come on." He grabbed the keys off the microwave with one hand while taking Seth's hand with the other.

Seth frowned. "Wait what?"

"We're going to Vegas."

"With what flight we don't have tickets we-"

"We'll figure it out." Roman didn't give a shit about the details. His mind was focused on Dean. His increasingly strange behavior, the marks on his body, the phone call that had sounded more and more fearful now that Roman was replaying it in his head...if it turned out to be nothing Roman would gratefully strangle Dean for making him worry. But he had a feeling that wasn't the case. He had a feeling they were about to find something they didn't. Something they wouldn't like at all.

...

The trip to Vegas had been done by flight but in order to appease Dean and his desire for secrecy, Bray had rented a car for them to drive to Louisiana. It would take so much longer but now that he had Dean it didn't really matter as much. Besides, there were advantages to the car. He had Dean all to himself here though he had yet to take full advantage of it. He was more interested in speeding down the interstate, his fingers tapping the wheel as he sang along to the radio. He looked to Dean every now and then and was amused by the other man's pouting. He had pulled his hat down to try to cover up his face and kept his hands stuffed inside the pockets of his trusty leather jacket. Underneath the well worn coat was one of his old Explicit Mox Violence t-shirts that Bray really thought would look better tossed out the window of the Ford Fusion. He contemplated doing just that for a moment. He thought about reaching right over and just ripping that shirt off Dean's body and throwing it away. The image of a shirtless Dean made him switch the fantasy up to just pulling the car over and throwing all his clothes off so he could take him on the side of the road. He licked his lips at that fantasy. He may had been acquainted with the sin of lust before but with Dean he felt out of control with it. For all the control he was gaining over Dean he was losing it over himself.

Yet it wasn't necessarily control he minded losing. Maybe it was because he still had some somewhere. Maybe because gaining Dean was enough of a reward, no matter how big of a pain in the ass he was. And he was indeed one of those. His stubbornness was infuriating. The song and dance they did about his so called friends was maddening but Bray hadn't given up. He didn't want to. Dean's darkness rivaled his own and the fire in him was something Bray wanted to take and keep for himself. Dean needed someone to be in control of him, even if he didn't realize it. He was too chaotic and neurotic for his own good. He would be too much for Seth and Roman to handle in the end but not him. Definitely not him.

"I hate it when you sing." The comment was snide and clearly made for the sole purpose of starting an argument.

"Do you now?"

"Yeah."

"Do you want me to stop?"

"Yeah."

"Too bad."

Dean glared at him. "Fucker." He leaned forward and pressed a button to change it to a hip hop station. "Sing to that," he challenged.

Bray rolled his eyes and changed the channel back. Dean tried to change it once more but Bray smacked his hand away. "I'll handcuff you."

Dean sneered. "You don't have any cuffs."

Wordlessly Bray reached over and opened the glovebox. He grabbed the cold metal cuffs and held them up for Dean to see. Dean stared at them with wide eyes before closing them and letting out a long sigh. He wasn't surprised. Bray dropped the handcuffs back into the glove box and shut it back up. That ended that argument. They returned to their previous situation, with Dean sulking in silence and Bray singing to the radio. The songs started to blend together until the all too familiar tune caught both of their attention.

_Time is on my side, yes it is_

_Time is on my side, yes it is_

"What is it with you and this song?" Dean eyed Bray warily.

"What do you mean little lamb?"

"Well you're always fucking singing it. What the fuck gives?"

Bray shrugged. "Maybe I just like it"

Dean kept eyeing him, his brain clearly churning on whether he dared to ask this next question or not. "Did uh...did she like this song?"

There wasn't much that took Bray off guard but that question did it. "After that little comment you made earlier I don't fancy telling you much of anything about her."

_Now you always say_

_That you want to be free_

_But you'll come running back (said you would baby)_

_You'll come running back (I said so many times before_

Dean rolled his eyes. "You fucking break into my apartment and then like act like I'm just obliged to follow you to a god damn swamp so you can live out some Charles Manson happy homemaker scenario and you didn't think I was going to say something you didn't like? Fucking shit Bray." He took off his hat and tossed it aside. They weren't near any towns it wasn't like anyone would be able to look in the window and see him. "If she's going to be like telling you to do shit to me maybe I should know a little about her." He folded his arms across his chest and already Bray knew he was planning on saying something that could get him hurt again. "You should be glad I'm like not pointing out that talking to dead people is totally fucked up. I mean, that usually means you need psychological help. "

"Look who's talking darlin."

"I'm not talking to dead people at least."

"No but you may be dead if you're not careful."

Dean snorted. "You wouldn't kill me. Who else would you fucking torture like this if I wasn't around?" He waited for Bray to answer but Bray had gone back to singing. "Bray-"

_You'll come running back (I won't have to worry no more)_

_You'll come running back (spend the rest of my life with you baby)_

_You'll come running back to me_

Bray smirked as he felt Dean stiffen at those words. They weren't even touching but he still felt it. He felt the tightening in Dean's chest, the surge of panic as he realized that Bray singing those words were a message to him. He looked into Dean's pale blue eyes and saw not just panic but a hint of resignation. He probably didn't even realize it but Bray did. He could see it clear as day and it pleased him so much he felt humored to give him some answer. "This was her favorite," he said. Subconsciously his grip on the steering wheel tightened. "She sang all the time actually. And danced." His lips curled into a small, genuine smile. If he wasn't so lost in the memory overtaking him he would have realized that had somehow creeped Dean out more than anything else he had done lately. "Saturday nights we'd build a fire and she'd sing and dance. And the world would stop for her voice. The frogs and the crickets and all the little critters would stop to hear her sing. She had the most beautiful voice..."

_Well time is on my side, yes it is_

_Time is on my side, yes it is_

_Cause I got the real love_

_The kind that you need_

Dean shifted around in his seat. He seemed to realize that Bray wasn't going to say anything else and he didn't push. The song ended as did Bray's singing. Neither one of them said anything for the longest time. Dean shifted around in his seat and gnawed at his fingertips. Bray kept his eyes straight ahead. He was trying to just focus on the road. It wasn't working though. He could see the scene he had just described clear as day in his head. It was mocking him. A reminder he no longer actually had her with him. She was with him but she wasn't. She was gone. So long gone and it hurt. It hurt him in his chest, right in his heart and it quickly spread. It went up to his head and made his temples pound, leaving him barely able to see straight.

"BRAY!"

Dean's yell and the horn from the semi-truck Bray nearly drove them straight into snapped him back to reality. Her jerked the wheel to get back in his own lane. They narrowly missed the semi and a string of profanity flew from Dean's mouth. Bray barely spotted the exit on the highway and he jerked the wheel again, nearly wrecking the car in his attempts to get off the road. Dean continued to cuss up the storm, promising him all sorts of terrible things if they died right then and there. Bray regained control of the car once again and veered off on to the empty gravel road before letting the car come to a stop. He put it in park and tried to take a moment to just breathe. A moment wasn't what he was given however.

"What the fuck was that shit?" Dean unbuckled his seatbelt and nearly lunged for Bray's throat. "Were you trying to fucking kill us? You-"

Bray didn't let him finish. He lunged over into the other seat, grabbing Dean by the wrists and smashing their lips together. There were no rational thoughts going through his mind. There were no thoughts going through mind period. There was only an instinctual, primal need coursing through him. Dean wasn't kissing him back. He was trying to push him away but Bray wasn't going anywhere. Bray pulled Dean out of his seat and unceremoniously broke the kiss just to shove him towards the backseat. Dean landed awkwardly, going half on the seat and half on the floor. Bray pulled him up by the scruff of the neck and put him on the seat, turning him so he could see the wide and almost fearful look in those pale blue eyes.

"Fucking stop!" Dean kicked his feet wildly. He managed to catch Bray in the stomach, briefly knocking the wind out of him. He scrambled for the door, getting it open. His upper body made it out of the car but before he could pull himself the rest of the way out Bray was in the backseat, grabbing him by the waistband of his jeans and yanking him back in. There was still no rational thought in his head. A monster in him had taken over. One that begged for destruction. For pain to be caused. And the pain came when he got a hold of the door and slammed it shut, not realizing Dean's hand was still in the way until the howl of pain reached his ears. He stopped in his tracks and looked at Dean, who was thrashing around and trying to get Bray's hand off the door handle so he could open it himself. Bray watched him with a morbid fascination. He was suddenly reminded of a fox he had trapped in one of his father's bear traps. He had been only a small child when he had done it. He had watched the animal struggle for quite awhile before breaking its neck and putting it out of its misery.

"Do I do the same to you little lamb?" He reached down with one hand and pet Dean on the top of his head. "You want me to put you out of your misery?"

"Open the door," Dean begged. His free hand gripped Bray's shirt now that he seemed to realize he wasn't going to be allowed to free himself. "God fucking damn Bray just open the fucking door."

"What if I like you like this?" Bray put his lips to Dean's ear so he could whisper right into it. "Trapped and helpless. I could have my way with you right now." He slid his hand over Dean's back until he reached his ass. "Not that I already don't." He chuckled as Dean stiffened. He opened the car door and allowed Dean to move his injured hand back inside before slamming the door back shut. Dean clutched his rapidly swelling hand to his chest and tried to scramble away. He didn't get far this time. Bray was on top of him in an instant, pinning him down on the seat. "Sssshhhh little lamb..."

"Get off!" Dean's good hand pushed against his chest. He scrambled to get his legs underneath the larger man to kick him away but this wasn't a battle he was going to win. He seemed to realize that as Bray's hands went under his shirt, nails raking down his chest harshly. "Wait wait wait-"

There was no waiting. Bray silenced his protests with his kiss as his hands worked over Dean's body. He knew every sensitive spot on the body underneath him and the body responded in kind. Against Dean's will it responded and Bray felt the shame coming off him in waves. The surrender was an unwilling one. The realization that Bray wasn't going to stop and his own body's desires made Dean go limp. He turned his head to the side, clearly just waiting for it to be over. It should have been what Bray wanted. It normally would have been. But whatever had taken him over wanted the fight. Cruelly he grabbed Dean's injured and squeezed it, actually taking delight as Dean's other came up and belted him across the face.

"Fuck you!" Dean was fighting him again. Fighting him full force and getting angrier as Bray laughed. "Fuck you fuck you-OW!" Bray squeezed his injured hand again, grinding the possibly broken bones with his death grip. "GOD DAMN IT!"

Bray laughed. Deep from his stomach he laughed and his laughter only got harder as their struggle continued. Dean hit and pushed and clawed but Bray didn't hit back. He let go of Dean's hurt hand and let his hands roam again, delighted that Dean's body still responded to him even with Dean screaming at him to go to hell. He pulled Dean's jeans off and nearly got kicked in the face for it.

"Fucking mother fucker-"

Bray shut him up with a kiss. Dean growled but kissed him back, oblivious of Bray undoing his own pants until he felt his hardness pressing against him. Dean's eyes went wide and he tried to jerk away, like he hadn't known this was coming all along. Bray held him in place easily and pushed in, no lube, no prep no anything. Dean screamed, his face contorting with the pain. "Sssshhh little lamb ssshhh," Bray cooed as he nuzzled Dean's face. A stark contrast to his roughness just seconds ago. "You know you want this." He was already pumping his hips, not actually giving the other man any time to adjust. There was still that animalistic desire, the monster that demanded his violent actions. He could feel Dean tear. He could feel him bleed. He could see the pain etched on his face and he wouldn't lie, he liked it.

"Stop..." Dean was trying to sound angry. Trying to sound forceful. It was more of a plea though. A desperate plea that he clearly already knew would go unlistened to. The fight was already leaving his body again. Bray could feel it and it spurred him on all the more.

"I don't think you really want me to stop." Bray wrapped his hand around Dean's still hard cock. "Doesn't feel like it to me." He kissed Dean's flushed cheek and grinned. "Just give in darlin." He started running his hand up and down Dean's shaft, his thumb rubbing over the slit every time he brought his hand up. He hovered his lips above Dean's and looked him in the eye. He could see the resignation and the shame because they both knew he was right. No matter how Bray was doing it they both knew Dean wanted his touch. They knew Dean needed it.

Bray's lips captured his and Dean reluctantly returned it. Whether it was a sign of him admitting it or just him trying to force himself to relax to make what was happening on him easier to bear was unknown. Bray stroked him harder, making him cum despite his obvious reluctance. Dean's body tightened even more around him and Bray felt himself go next. He collapsed on top of Dean, his face nestling in the crook of his neck. He could faintly hear Dean asking him to get up but he ignored it. Instead he closed his eyes and let himself relax. The monster was sated and he just wanted to rest.


	9. Chapter 9

Long after he had been redressed and they were on the road again Dean pretended to be asleep. He laid there in the back and kept his eyes shut, not caring whether he was actually fooling Bray or not. His hand hurt, his ass hurt, everything fucking hurt. He wanted to just go home. To wake back up in his bed and have this be a fucked up nightmare. He wanted to go back in time so he could have called out to Seth on the phone when he had gotten the chance. And then there was another part of him that wanted-no. He wasn't entertaining that thought right now. He did not want Bray to come back there. He didn't want a gentle touch to wash away the memory of what had happened. He could do that on his own. He had done it before. Though usually then he had had a bottle of booze to help him out. He wasn't just laying there, stone cold sober with so much time to think and dwell.

He groaned and tried to chase all the thoughts out of his head. He didn't want to think. He didn't want to feel. Yet there the thoughts were, replaying not only Bray's attack but every other time he had been attacked before. It had been a long time since he had been in that position. The last time had been in Puerto Rico. He had been drugged up out of his mind and only remembered bits and pieces of that. He couldn't even recall who had done it. Before that it had been one of his mother's boyfriends and before that even it went back to one of the drug dealers he had to pass every day on his way home. Fucking prick used to beat him up and steal his shit before one day he stole something else.

Dean winced and tried to shift around on the seat gingerly. He didn't want to think about that shit. He hated the shame that came with thinking of it. Fucking assholes getting the better of him and then leaving him to bury it all down. He never talked about any of the really bad shit that had happened to him in his life. Some stuff he had taken and turned into promo material but the truly awful shit? The nitty gritty details that had shaped him into the fucked up man he was today? No. he didn't share any of that. Not to the fans, not Sami, not Regal, not Roman and Seth, not Bray-none of them knew. He had never felt like anyone could know. It had been engrained in him from day one that nobody cared. He was just a piece of gutter trash. He was there to be chewed up and spit out and that would never change, no matter how far he rose in life or how many people he tried to hurt for treating him that way. If he did tell anyone the more fucked up things, they either would just not care or be disgusted and leave him. It was just the way life went.

The sound of Bray singing caught his ear. At last one of them was in a better mood now. Dean thought about saying something like he had earlier but this time he kept his mouth shut. His words had already gotten him in more than enough trouble today he didn't need to tempt fate for a third time. Instead he refocused on trying to clear his mind. He wanted to bury what happened with him and Bray down with everything else. He wanted to not focus on his ever growing nerves as the realization they were getting closer and closer to Bray's home hit him. He had no real idea what he was walking into. The glimpses the world had gotten of the Wyatt Compound the night Bray and his cronies debuted hadn't been all that telling. What was going to happen when they got there? Somehow he doubted they would just chill out like it was some damn lovers weekend in. Maybe he was going to get locked up in the basement and kept there like a pet. That seemed more in line with Bray's sick nature. And it would figure that he got himself into a situation that would lead to that. That was how stupid he was. So fucking stupid he deserved it. He couldn't learn and now here he was. Pathetic.

"Rise and shine darlin."

The words along with a bag being tossed on to his chest roused Dean from a sleep he hadn't known he had fallen into. He groaned and rubbed his eyes before slowly sitting up. One hand clutched the bag to keep it from falling to the floor. Much to his surprise it was from Burger King. "When did you-"

"I just went through the drive-thru." They were at a stoplight so Bray craned himself around to look at Dean. "You need to eat."

"I'm not hungry." Dean wasn't trying to be difficult. He felt so sick from his entire day he coudln't even think about eating.

Bray rolled his eyes. "You still need to eat." He handed back the drink he had bought for Dean, not caring that the light was green and the car behind them was honking. "Eat. Drink. Come back up here if you're done moping."

"Fuck you." Dean did take the drink. He hoped it was poisoned so he could just die before they even got to where they were going.

"You know, for someone who gets all this praise for his speaking ability, you sure don't offer much when you argue with me." Bray turned back around and pressed on the gas. He made it through the light before it turned red again though the person behind them wasn't so lucky. "Why don't you try to vary it up a little?" He glanced back at Dean using the rearview mirror. "It's disappointing really."

"Yeah well getting raped in the backseat of a fucking rental car already put a damper on my god damn day so welcome to the fucking disappointment club." The venom in his voice managed to take him by surprise. He didn't know why he was fucking surprised. It was completely deserved. Yet he almost wanted to apologize. The instinct made his stomach curl. He didn't want it to be there. He had to get ride of it. Snap himself out of it by any means necessary.

"Stop it stop it stop it..." he muttered so low under his breath he didn't think Bray could even hear him. He shoved the bag of food aside and started smacking himself across the face as hard as he could. The sharp stings of his own slaps felt good but they weren't enough. Without even thinking he started smashing his own head into the window. It wasn't a simple banging of his head. He was literally trying to smash his own head through the glass. He wanted it to break, to feel the satfisfying crack against his skull. He wanted to feel blood pour so freely just like it used to and maybe finally he could have some sort of peace again.

"DEAN!"

Dean froze. His own name falling from Bray's lips through him for a loop. Up until that moment Bray had never addressed him by his own name in the course of their fucked up relationship.

"That's enough." Bray turned back around to look at him again. His eyes met Dean's and they just stared at each other. Neither one of them said a word. Bray's words hung heavy in the air and Dean wanted to retort. He wanted to have some sort of snappy reply but he didn't trust himself to speak. Not with how he had wanted to apologize only moments before. He settled for turning his attention to the food he had been given instead. He sucked down some of his drink, the Dr. Pepper tasting much sweeter than he was expecting. He hadn't even realized how thirsty he had been until that moment. He reached into the bag and pulled out the hamburger and fries Bray had bought him. He still didn't feel that hungry but he forced himself to start eating anyway. He just needed something to keep him busy. He refused to look back up even though he still felt Bray's eyes on him. It was a lot harder to ignore him than it should have been. His gaze was so fucking piercing. It felt like it was going right through him. Right through his skin, through his insides, right down his very soul. He concentrated harder on eating, tearing through the food like someone was going to take it from him. His stomach was cramping from the unwanted meal but he didn't stop until Bray turned back around and focused on driving once more. Immediately he pushed the food aside and pulled his knees up to his chest. Despit the fact that he wasn't even looking back there Dean swore he still felt Bray's eyes on him.

Dean shuddered and bit down on his lower lip. _I'm so stupid I'm so stupid so fucking stupid..._

...

A totally not honest story got them the bereavement flight to Vegas. The five hour plane trip was one of the longest in Seth's entire life. Neither he or Roman really spoke the entire way there. Roman was in no mood and Seth didn't know what to say. All he could do was think about what kind of trouble Dean could be in. Scenario after scenario kept popping up into his own mind and each one got worse than the one before it. By the time they landed he was actually shaking. He considered calling AJ and Tamina, asking them why they hadn't worked faster in helping him but then quickly remembered he had thrown the task on them right before they all got to have their few days off. He didn't pay them to follow Dean home. He paid them to snoop around while they worked and traveled together. He hadn't told them to follow Dean home and snoop on him there. He hadn't seen the need for it at the time. Now he wished he had. He was wishing for a lot of things really. The main thing now was for Dean to be fine and Roman and him to be overly paranoid. He knew Roman wanted that too but somehow he felt they weren't going to get that sweet relief. He wanted to be wrong. He wanted them to both be wrong so bad he could scream but the feeling that they weren't wouldn't escape him.

The moment they were allowed they sprinted from the plane and through the airport. Seth was faster and he took the lead. Roman kept one hand on his shirt so they wouldn't get separated by the crowd. A rental car was obtained and Seth drove them to Dean's apartment. He knew the way better than Roman did. He also had a key to the place. He was thankful he had it, especially given that it had gone missing for a few days a few weeks ago. Dean had gotten mad at him when he had taken Roman's side for one of their arguments and without him knowing it had taken his key back. At least Seth assumed he was the one who had taken it. He didn't see who else it could have been. Dean didn't always go out with him and Roman for their matches so he would have had the opportunity. Dean had denied it and had gotten even more mad when Seth hadn't believed him. After a tense couple of days the key had ended up back on Seth's key chain and nobody had spoken about the subject again.

"What do we do if he's not here?" Seth finally had to ask as they headed into the apartment building. He couldn't just not ask the question. The only plan they seemed to have was to save Dean but not only did they not know what was going on or who he was seeing, but there was no guarantee they were going to find him. There was no guarantee he was home or if he would even come back home before having to go off to work again. On his good days Dean was a drifter, going off and doing whatever it was he felt like doing. Seth remembered one time when they were still in FCW that Dean didn't come back to his apartment for nearly a month. He came to the shows and the gym but nobody even to this day knew where he had been in between all that.

Roman didn't answer. He clearly had nothing to offer there. Instead he snatched the keys out of Seth's hand and led the charge right up the stairs. He took the steps two at a time, making Seth practically run to keep up with him.

"They make elevators for a reason Ro..."

Roman ignored him in favor in continuing to lead the charge. Seth was at least glad to see that. With all the bickering Roman and Dean had done lately it had really started to feel like their friendship was falling apart. Seth hated it. He hated seeing it and hated being caught in the middle of it. He was glad to see Roman still cared though and he appreciated it. Dean wouldn't but he never outwardly took well to people caring about him. Seth didn't know everything that Dean had gone through in his life but he felt like he understood the consequences of it. Dean was like a dog that had gotten kicked around too many times. He lashed out and bit even if the hand going to touch him wasn't one meant to hurt him. Roman got irritated by it. Dean's impulsive and erratic nature agitated him. It wore on Seth too but he had more of a will to put up with it. He couldn't ever just give up on the guy. It wouldn't make him any better than anyone who had hurt Dean to begin with.

The key went into the lock but the click never came. Seth and Roman exchanged looks. The door was unlocked. Dean never kept his door unlocked. Absolutely never. They had once watched him freak out and try to fix the lock on their back door because it hadn't been working right there was no way he would leave his door unlocked. Seth felt his stomach drop somewhere down in the depths of hell. He looked to Roman, who was as silent as ever. He saw apprehension in his grey eyes though. His hand closed over the doorknob but he didn't turn it immediately. He braced himself for it before opening the door. He went in quickly and Seth followed him despite not wanting to.

The bareness of the place always managed to catch Seth by surprise. It felt wrong for the chaotic force that was Dean to be living in a place that was so untouched by it. "Dean!" Seth found his voice as he and Roman began searching the apartment. "Dean!" He went straight to Dean's bedroom to look around. "Dean!"

Dean was nowhere to be seen. "God damn it." Desperation started to take over. Seth threw the sheets off his bed as if he would somehow find the other man under there hiding like a small child. "Damn it." He threw the sheets back on to the bed so he could look under the bed and only then realized he had just put his hands on cum stains. "God damn it Dean..." After they found him and his relief wore off he was going to strangle the shit out of him. "Dean?" He looked under the bed and of course found nothing. He groaned and started to get back up when something caught his attention out of the corner of his eye. He turned to look at it and saw that it was Dean's phone. "Shit." He walked over and picked it up. It had been thrown so hard the screen had cracked.

"Seth he ain't here!"

"No shit!" Seth walked out of the bedroom and met Roman in the hallway. "I found this." He held up the phone for Roman to see.

"Anything else?"

"Cum stains on the bed but-"

"His?"

"I didn't take DNA evidence!" Seth gave him a baffled look. "What the fuck are we in CSI now? Do I suddenly have fucking master detective skills I wasn't aware of?" His overall panic had reduced him to a snapping mess.

"He could have been here with someone." Roman was taking the route of ignoring the outburst. "Someone could have seen that person come up here. Could have seen him leave with them."

"Maybe." Seth didn't feel like they could be that lucky. Luck didn't seem to be on their side in any aspect but they had to keep trying.

With no Dean in the apartment and no real clue who could have seen him leave they ended up knocking on the door Mrs. Morgan's door. Mrs. Morgan lived in the apartment across from Dean. Seth had seen her a few times when he had come up to stay with Dean for a weekend. She was a little old lady, certainly well into her eighties at this point. The confusion was written clear as day on her face when she opened the door to find them on the other side of it. She recognized Seth at least and he took the lead for this conversation.

"Sorry to bother you Mrs. Morgan. We're just wondering if you've seen Dean around." Seth forced a friendly smile as he said this. "It's really important we find him."

Mrs. Morgan's wrinkled brow furrowed as she thought about it. "Dean? No. No I haven't seen him in awhile. I heard company over but I didn't come out and look." She motioned down to her knee. "My arthritis is really bad I can't go snooping like that bitch Glenda you know."

Roman's lips twitched. "Ma'am we got a call from Dean that didn't seem totally right. Did you maybe hear who was with Dean? Like was it a man or a woman-"

"Man," Mrs. Morgan answered. "It was definitely a man. Southern man. Talked an awful lot. I couldn't hear everything but I thought I heard screaming..."

Seth and Roman exchanged worried looks. They had at least something to go off of. The last thing she had said didn't let them feel any better but they had to take what they could get at this point. "Thanks Mrs. Morgan," Seth forced himself to say. "We appreciate it."

...

Bray's weight hovering above him was what woke Dean up from another bout of slumber he hadn't realized he had fallen into. He tried to move from from the fetal position he had curled into but upon seeing the little glint in Bray's eyes he froze.

"We're here." And with that, Bray gave him a kiss and yanked him out of the car.


	10. Chapter 10

Bray and Dean's arrival attracted all sorts of attention from across the compound. His family far exceeded just Rowan and Harper. He didn't expose them to the wrestling world though. They didn't belong there. None of them watched and the only non-family wrestler on the roster that knew of them was Daniel Bryan. Dean didn't hide his shock as they all approached. He stopped fighting Bray's grip and stared, wide-eyed and open mouth. Most of the men were big and burly like Harper and Rowan, dirty from the work they did around the place. The women were clad in dresses and they held on to the children, doing their best to keep them all back and out of the way. One little girl broke ahead of the pack though. Her dirty blonde hair was pulled back in a braid and her pink and white dress reached down nearly to her ankles. Her mother called to her but Bray held up a hand to silence her. The little girl was no harm to anyone.

"Brother Bray!"

"Hello Isabella." Bray let go of Dean's wrist so he could scoop the young girl up into his arms. He watched Dean's expression get even more dumbfounded out of the corner. The smile that came from the hug to his neck and the kiss on his cheek got even bigger upon seeing it. "What is it little lamb?" Bray turned to look at Dean full on. "You looking to catch a fly down your throat?"

Dean closed his mouth but his expression stayed exactly the same. Isabella looked back and forth between them. Her blue eyes were the exact same shade as Dean's. Bray had never noticed that before.

"Who is he?" Isabella finally settled her gaze on Bray as she asked.

"His name is Dean. He's a very special friend of mine." Bray adjusted the five year old so she rested against his hip. He looked to Dean to see if he would put up a fight in front of the child. "Aren't you darlin?"

Some of Dean's bafflement turned to anger. He looked like he wanted to say something nasty but he didn't get the chance. The other children were emboldened by Isabella's actions and they ran forward as well. Most of them came to Bray but some gathered around Dean, their curiosity getting the best of them. Dean's baffled gaze went from Bray to them. He jerked his hands up out of reach, keeping himself from touching them as they started to tug down at the hem of his shirt. One would have thought he had never seen a child before with the way he was acting.

"They won't bite you know." Bray was torn between amusement and exasperation. The intention of the children was innocent it was almost insulting Dean didn't see that. But he liked how rattled the other man was. It showed how out of his element he was. It made him more vulnerable which of course was always something Bray enjoyed.

"Go off to your mothers." Bray set Isabella down and shooed her and the other children away. "Go!" It was a gentle command but one that was obeyed immediately. Once they were out of earshot he stepped in front of Dean and shook his head. "You could have been nicer."

"I don't like kids," Dean muttered. He wasn't making eye contact with Bray. He was too busy trying to watch everything around him at once. It was like he was expecting someone to come at him when he wasn't looking.

Bray smirked. "Don't like them? What did they do to you?" He reached up and slowly ran the tip of his finger down Dean's nose. "Besides actually get to be children I mean?"

The little dig at his past made Dean twitch. "Yeah, because they're getting such a great chance at life down here." Dean gestured around wildly. "They get this ever glorious swamp and _Brother_ _Bray_ " he spat those last two words out like they disgusted him "to make all their decisions for them."

"Some people need that. They aren't good at making their own decisions. You of all people should know that." Their argument ended there though not because Dean willingly dropped it. Bray just didn't give him a chance to say anything else. Instead he grabbed him by the wrist and started dragging him around once more. Dean nearly tripped over his own feet but Bray made sure he stayed upright. His family went back to what they were doing before, rightly sensing that he didn't want them around for the tour. There were only two members of the family he did want around and he spotted them up on the porch. They were just standing there, watching and waiting. He couldn't see their faces clearly but he had a feeling their eyes were focused mostly on Dean. He knew they harbored animosity towards Dean. He wasn't a fool. They didn't need to actually say it.

"Harper! Rowan!" He beckoned them to come over.

"What, you can't take me on a tour by yourself?" Dean put his hand over Bray's to try to pry his fingers off his wrist. "You don't want me to yourself anymore or something? Because if you fucking think you're sharing me with them you can just fucking forget it."

"I don't recall saying I was going to share you with anyone." Bray didn't see how that Dean could jump to that conclusion. He thought he had made it clear Dean was his and his alone. If he had wanted to share Dean with anyone he would have done so long before now. "I just want you and my boys to bond a little."

"Bond?" The dumbfounded look found its way right back on to Dean's face. "They look like they want to kill me."

Bray didn't deny that. There was no way he could do that without lying. He could see the resentment from Harper and Rowan as they got closer. The jealousy was so thick even he almost got uncomfortable. He put himself between Dean and them, making them stop before they got too close. "Relax boys. I just want you to walk with us."

Harper nodded though his eyes kept shifting to Dean. His hand reached out to push Rowan back, whose attention was zeroed in on Dean. Dean sneered and tried to get out from behind Bray. His lips were twisting into a sneer and Bray could literally feel the bravado swelling up in him.

"Where's your camel mask boy?"

Bray frowned and turned around slowly. "What?"

"His camel mask." Dean kept trying to pull himself out of Bray's grasp.

"...It's a lamb mask darlin."

"No it's not." Dean stopped struggling long enough to look at Bray like he was stupid. "I watch Animal Planet I know what a camel looks like."

Bray just stared at him. He really wasn't kidding. He was standing there, earnest as could be. He really thought the mask was a camel one. Bray opened his mouth to correct him but then just shook his head and laughed. "Whatever you say darlin." He started pulling Dean along once more so the tour could actually start. "Whatever you say."

...

Seth and Roman did more asking around Dean's apartment building with no success. The resident snoop Glenda had been staying with her son and his family for the past week so she hadn't been around to see anything. Anyone else claimed they hadn't either or didn't seem to know who Dean either was. Roman was infuriated but Seth managed to drag him to a hotel so they could regroup and assess what information they had. He called AJ and Tamina while he was at it and after putting the phone on speaker he explained the situation as he now knew it. Even if they couldn't do much he needed to talk to someone. Roman said hardly a word, choosing to just pace back and forth between the door and the window. Seth tried to focus on looking at the phone instead. If he watched Roman pace for a second longer he was going to start suffering from motion sickness.

"So a Southern guy who talks too much?" AJ repeated after Seth was done talking. "That's what we have to go on?"

"That's what we have to go on," Seth confirmed. He pulled his legs up so he could rest his chin on his knee. "As far as identity goes anyway. Add the screaming and uh...bodily fluids on the sheets-"

"Dean got raped," AJ helpfully finished.

"AJ!" Tamina yelled.

Seth felt the blood drain out of his face. He hadn't been allowing himself to really think about that option. Yet it was more than a plausible scenario. Especially if Mrs. Morgan had actually heard the screaming. He could feel Roman's anger start to spike again but he couldn't even bring himself to even look at him.

"Don't look at me like that!" AJ snapped defensively. "I'm not saying I like that scenario. I'm being realistic though."

"M-m-maybe it was pleasure screaming." Seth was trying to convince himself and they all knew it. "M-m-maybe it wasn't that-"

"Maybe it was." Tamina at least tried to indulge his denial.

"Still doesn't tell us where he is." Roman was finally speaking up now. "We gotta find him. If something..." he grimaced as AJ's scenario flashed through his mind "We'll deal with whatever after we find him."

AJ sighed. "Well three people spring to mind if we're going off just the Southern guy who talks a bunch description. Only one of them is an actual option though."

"Do I even want to know who you're thinking of?" Tamina asked.

"Well it's not Heath Slater or JBL..."

Seth was starting to realize who she was thinking about but hoped she didn't say it. That wasn't an option he even wanted to consider.

"It's gotta be Bray."

Seth groaned. She said it. She said the words. He swallowed hard and finally looked at Roman. He had stopped pacing and was looking down at his feet. His long hair obscured his face so Seth couldn't read his expression.

"I mean let's think about it." AJ wasn't done talking yet. "Not only does he fit Mrs. Morgan's description but why else would Dean hide this entire thing? I know he don't wave his business around all over the place but you're his best friends. He wouldn't be hiding a relationship unless it was entirely shameful."

"But...it's fucking Bray Wyatt we're talking about here." Seth had a hard time wrapping his head around the thought. Everything AJ was saying made sense. It did. But he just had a terrible time seeing how it could be true. Or perhaps he just didn't want to. The Wyatts were their enemy. They were just over a week away from waging war on them on pay per view. Yet Dean had been fucking around with the leader the whole time? "He's not Dean's type..."

"If it's fucked up it's Dean's type." Roman's looked at Seth, shaking his head at the glare he received. "I love him man I do. But if the lunatic is afraid of something that means he's bit off more than he can chew."

"But Bray fucking Wyatt?" Seth shook his head stubbornly. "Dean's not a follower. He's not. Maybe he's not a well equipped leader but he's not a mindless follower. He would never listen to someone like Bray. He's too stubborn it would never work."

"We're running on the theory he's fucking the guy, not joining the family," AJ pointed out.

"But Bray is all about obedience," Seth argued. "Can you see him fucking with anyone unless he had full control over them?"

"Well someone around here's had control of Dean," Tamina said. "I mean, you said he shut down on Roman when he found those marks on his neck. And he was scared of something when he called you. Maybe Bray's been like, getting control of him this whole time-"

"And we didn't see it." Roman spat those words out venomously. "Damn it!"

"Ro-" Seth nearly jumped off the bed as Roman's fist crashed against the wall. "Roman!" Forgetting about AJ and Tamina for the moment Seth got off the bed and grabbed his boyfriend's arm before he could punch the wall again. "Stop it!" He placed a kiss on his bloody knuckles before pressing his forehead to Roman's. "That's not gonna help. Murdering the wall never helps."

Roman grunted but let Seth lead him away from the wall. "Where the fuck would Wyatt take him?" It was unclear whether he was thinking out loud or actually asking Seth.

"The compound maybe?" It was the only place Seth could figure.

"But where the fuck is that?" Roman picked up Seth's phone before sitting down at the foot of the bed. Seth sat down next to him and rested his head against his shoulder.

"Nobody even knows."

"Bryan knows," AJ reminded him. "He has to. He joined them remember?"

Seth had actually forgotten about that. Daniel Bryan's activities didn't really concern him unless he was in their way. For a moment his hopes soared but they quickly came crashing back down when he remembered that Bryan had absolutely no reason to help them. Nobody in the locker room really did but with as much as they had fought over the past year, he had every reason to tell them to go straight to hell. "AJ can you-"

"Absolutely not."

"But this is important!"

"Even if I was on speaking terms with him do you really think Brie's letting me near him?" AJ snorted. "Please. Just go appeal to his inner do gooder hippie humanity and pray he hates Bray more than you three."

"Fine," Roman said. "Just give us his number."

Seth shook his head. "It's not gonna work he won't-"

"He'll talk."

"But-"

"He talks or I split his ribcage and then he'll talk. Okay?"

Seth nodded. One didn't argue with Roman once he started threatening bodily harm.

"Good."

...

The last stop of the tour was in Bray's bedroom. Dean hadn't expected anything less. He was almost relieved to be there though he wasn't about to say that out loud. Sending snarky comment after snarky comment at Rowan and Harper had been fun in itself but he hadn't been blind to the fact that they really did look like they wanted to murder him. He wasn't sure what the fuck he had even done to them beyond be there-and that was all Bray's fault. He had been dragged here he didn't need murderous looks on top of it all. Bray had noticed but his commands for the other men to take it easy had only seemed to make them show more resentment to Dean when the eyes of their almighty papa bear hadn't been on them.

Bray slamming him back first into the wall drove Rowan and Harper far out of his mind. Dean barely had time to breathe before Bray's lips covered his. Dean tried to push him away. After what happened in the car he didn't want to be touched. But Bray was persistent. The kisses became more forceful yet coaxing at the same time. He lulled Dean into finally kissing him back. It was tentative on Dean's end but the moment Bray's tongue slipped into his mouth he was pulled right into returning it with fervor. He could feel Bray smirking and it made his stomach sink. There he did it again. He was too easy. Every single time he just fell into Bray's trap. He was sick. He was pathetic. His hands went to Bray's chest and he tried to push him away. Bray only pulled him off the wall and held him closer, crushing them together.

"Stop..." The word was no more than a croak. Bray's lips had traveled down to his throat and Dean could feel the hickies being left behind. Large hands went under his shirt, exploring his body freely and making him shiver. "Bray stop..." Foolishly he smacked Bray on the chest with the hand that had gotten smashed in the car door. He sucked in a harsh breath but the pain did serve to break him from his lull. He ripped himself out of Bray's grasp and stumbled back. He nearly tripped and fell on his ass but managed to catch himself at the last second. "Stop!" He meant it to be a command. He meant it to be angry and forceful. But his voice cracked halfway through the word and it sounded more like a plea. "No more." Dean swallowed hard and started to edge his way toward the door. "You don't get to rape me and fucking love all over me after that's not how this works." He turned his back and tried to open the door to get out.

"How does it work then?" Bray's hand reached over his shoulder and held the door closed. "Explain it to me darlin." His arms wrapped around Dean's waist and lifted him up just enough to take him away from the door without Dean being able to drag his feet. His chin rested on Dean's shoulders, his head turned just right so his hot breath tickled Dean's neck and ear. "Tell me how it works. Do you run back to Seth and Roman and tell them what I did? Do you only tell them that? Or do you tell them the real truth?" Bray nuzzled his face against Dean gently. "Every other time has been consensual darlin. How do you think they'll handle that?"

Dean closed his eyes and shook his head. He couldn't listen. This was what Bray did. He told him this stuff and messed with his head and kept pulling him down. He had to shut him out and maybe save himself.

"What would they do if they knew you still liked it even when I raped you?" Bray laughed at his own question.

"I didn't-"

"Oh you didn't?" One of Bray's hands reached down and started groping him through his jeans. "You got hard for me. You came for me." His groping continued and they both could feel Dean's cock stirring. "Stop lying to yourself. You need me."

"No-"

"Oh yes darlin." Bray kissed the back of his neck softly. "You know it deep down."

"No."

"Your lying is starting to wear on me." The shift in Bray's tone made Dean shudder. "Your boys aren't enough for you, no matter how much you wish they can be. They'll leave you to rot. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow-well unless they find out about us." He nipped at Dean's ear lightly. "About you. All the little twisted things you've let me do. And what about even before me?"

Dean stiffened. He didn't mean to but it was a completely involuntary reaction. "You don't know anything-"

"I can guess." Bray turned him around so they could be face to face. "You're not as hard to read as you think. Not for someone who actually tries." He gripped Dean's chin and tilted his head up, forcing eye contact. "Poor little street dog. No father and a junkie whore of a mother. I didn't need to be raised in a pit of a city to know its evils. I've seen it all." He was gearing up, going into full sermon mode. And Dean couldn't stop him. He just stood there, transfixed by the words flying out of his mouth. "Not all of my family was bred down here with me. I've plucked them from street corners, from orphanages, from their very own homes-I've heard their tales and saw their plight. Your story isn't any different than theirs except that you can't get over your own desire to live in lies."

"I wanna live in the land of the fucking sane!" Dean jerked his chin away from Bray's grip. He had to make himself talk. Make himself fight. "Not with your spooky bullshit and haunted rocking chairs and stupid retards wearing lamb masks-"

"Oh now you say it's a lamb? What happened to your Animal Planet camel expertise?"

"Shut up. Don't distract me."

"From what? Trying to shut me out again?" Bray chuckled. "It's far too late for that little lamb." He grabbed Dean by the waistband of Dean's jeans and pulled them together once more. "I'm in your system. Every little bit of you has me in it. You can keep fighting it but you're only trying my patience." His hand moved to the back of Dean's neck. His iron grip kept Dean's head in place as he pressed their foreheads together. "I'm not them darlin. I'm not your mother that's going to choose drugs over you. I'm not the father that let you rot. I'm not Seth and Roman, who could never understand you." Bray's eyes were burning right through Dean's. He wanted to look away but he couldn't. He wasn't being allowed to. "They couldn't ever understand you. They were never destined to. They grew up in loving homes. Not with parents that cast them out. Not with ones that hated their very existence from the moment they were born. No they grew up in perfect families and had perfect childhoods where none of the chaos and destruction and death-"

Dean blinked. It was starting to become more apparent that his past wasn't the only one Bray was talking about.

"You remember your dream about the fire? When you murdered your little friends?"

Silence was the response to that. Dean didn't want to remember that dream. He swore he could still smell the burning flesh if he thought about it for too long.

"I burned my daddy up." Those five words weren't what Dean was expecting to hear. "I burned him up on his little shrimp boat. I had dreamed of doing it for so long. He chewed me up and spit me out but even my vengeance didn't make me free." Bray moved his hand off Dean's neck and up to his head, petting him like he was a dog. "She was the one to show me the way."

Dean stiffened. Talking about Abigail had triggered the attack in the car. She was a topic he could now go the rest of his life without discussing.

"She didn't just show me the truth. She gave me love. Blinding, unconditional love. Love that knew no bounds because I was hers, just like you are mine." Bray was barely speaking above a whisper yet Dean could hear every word like it was a gong going off in his brain. "And you can run. You could run back to your friends and hide but it doesn't change the fact that you are mine." He said those last three words as slowly and deliberately as he could. It was like he was making sure Dean couldn't block him out. "You are mine until I give you up-and I won't do that. Not even after my final breath."

Dean didn't even know what to say to that. He didn't even know what to feel. The words were dangerous. The implications of them showed he was somehow in even deeper than he thought he was before. Yet as crazy as it was, there was a comfort to be had in those words. It was crazy and insane and wrong but there was a fucking bit of comfort. When Bray said he wouldn't leave it felt like he could truly be believed. Even if he was saying it to lure him in further he actually meant it while he was at it. Having something meant like that was foreign to him.

Their lips met again though for the life of him Dean didn't know who started it this time. The shred of him that was left telling him this whole thing was sick and wrong hoped it was Bray. Yet it didn't really matter all that much because he wasn't stopping him. His arms were around Bray's neck, his legs hooked around his waist. It was wrong, it was sick but he didn't fight as he was laid down on the bed. His hands actually helped strip them of their clothes. The part of him that could think had shut down. He was being swept away in it all. Bray's hands were all over him. It was like he couldn't decide which part of Dean to touch first. Dean closed his eyes and tried to just enjoy the feeling but a sudden yank on his hair made his eyes open once more. "Ow fuck what-"

"Who do you belong to little lamb?"

"Bray don't-"

"Say it."

He needed to not do it. If there was ever a time that Dean needed to live up to his own reputation of being difficult this was it. He opened his mouth and he tried to force himself to say something nasty. To tell him to go fuck off. He opened his mouth but that message wasn't what came out. It wasn't what happened at all. He could name a whole list of reasons why as an excuse but it came down to him being a fool. A fool that caved at the promise of love and was more than a little afraid of a repeat performance of the incident back in the car if he said the wrong thing again. "You."

"Good boy."


	11. Chapter 11

Roman felt like he was going to explode. He had been pacing around the same hotel room for what felt like hours though the digital clock on the bedside table disputed his sense of time. Seth was still attempting to get a hold of Daniel, who was getting more and more on Roman's bad side each time he failed to answer. They weren't leaving any messages because there was no point. They weren't on good terms with the guy there was no way he would just call them back. They had to talk to him directly to get anything out of him. The longer they had to take to get a hold of them though meant it was that much longer Dean was with Bray. The mere thought of that turned Roman's stomach. God only knew what was happening to Dean at that compound. He couldn't even fathom how this whole thing could have started. How could they have not noticed? How could Dean have not said something? Dean was fiercely independent it was hard imagining him falling under Bray's control. Yet it had clearly happened. His behavior before his disappearance had clearly indicated his normally defiant nature had been rattled. Roman hated that he hadn't pushed the issue more. He hated that he had taken Seth's advice on giving Dean some space. Seth had meant well sure and under normal circumstances he would have been right. Pushing Dean would have only been a disaster. But now the situation had proved to be even worse than they had believed and their course of action had been proven to be completely foolish.

Roman growled under his breath and went into the bathroom. He turned on the cold water in the sink and splashed his face off. He had to calm himself down. He couldn't concentrate on thinking about what could be happening to Dean. It would only drive him even crazier. He had to focus on what he could do which was try to stay strong for Seth. The younger man was closer to Dean than he was this was wearing on him too. Maybe even more so because he now had to try to keep Roman from spinning off the deep end. The realization made Roman feel even more like a piece of shit.

"Bryan please-"

"Who gave you my number?" The phone was still on speaker and the argument breaking out between Seth and Bryan caught Roman's attention.

"It's important okay?" The desperation could be heard plain as day in Seth's voice. "I know I got no right to ask but Roman and I need your help. Dean's in trouble- "

"And this concerns me how?"

Roman clenched his fists and walked back out of the bathroom. He knew Bryan had every right to react the way he was considering everything they had done to him but it still made him angry. "Bryan we're being serious here," he said, joining in the argument.

"I'm serious too!" Bryan wasn't having any of it. "That little asshole's been trying to maim me before he was even in the damn company. He's wanted my head on a stick! On a stick! And I'm supposed to just help you because you say he's in trouble? Come on now."

"Wyatt has him." Seth was tripping over himself to get to the point. He had to get Bryan's attention, make him understand the urgency so he didn't just hang up. "Wyatt took him we think he's hurting him."

"Well yeah I'm sure. I mean you got that match coming up-"

"We think he raped Dean in his apartment and took him to the compound." Roman didn't know the words were going to leave his mouth. They just flew out, stemming from AJ's theory of events. He didn't even know for sure that was what had happened but they had the desired effect regardless. Even if they couldn't see him, both Seth and Roman could feel that Daniel's silence was a stunned one.

"You're the only one who knows where that compound is." Seth couldn't take the silence. "We gotta get to him okay? Please?"

"Jesus guys..." Daniel sighed. To Roman's relief it sounded like the fight had left his voice. "Did you call the cops?"

"We don't have time for cops." Roman was certain of that. They had no concrete evidence that it had been Bray to take Dean. They would take the time to question Roman and Seth, to see if there was any footage from the apartment building and question the people they already talked to...no, it would be a waste of time. "We can handle this. You just need to tell us where to go."

"You can't just go storming in there."

"We can handle ourselves." Roman was finding himself getting angry again. "We're not scared of the Wyatts."

"Well you damn well should be!" Daniel snapped. "You think you're just gonna waltz in there? You think there's just Bray and Rowan and Harper to worry about?"

"What there's more?" Seth asked incredulously.

"We're talking about a couple dozen people all together," Daniel confirmed. "Men, women, children-it's insane. They all worship him. They'll do anything for him. Even if you got in there you wouldn't be able to get back out. You gotta call the police and go in there with a full on team. They'll eat you alive if you don't."

"We don't got that kind of time," Seth insisted. He looked to Roman and swallowed hard. "Dean doesn't have that kind of time." He couldn't take the look Roman gave him in response and quickly turned his attention back to the phone. "We just need a location out of you man. That's it."

There was a stretch of silence that seemed to last forever. Roman and Seth waited on bated breath to see if he would give in or not. They needed him to they couldn't keep wasting time. "Fly to Lafayette but take Interstate 90 down south. Keep going until you get to exit 17. Go off there and then take the gravel road on the left. The compound is about ten miles from there. The whole area is isolated. There's a swamp you gotta avoid. No real gate beyond a wooden one that doesn't actually guard shit. The big house is where Dean will be if Bray's got him for himself. Don't go busting down the front door but be careful sneaking in the back. All in the back are the cabins those other people sleep in. One of them is always watching though. At least they were when I was there."

"Thank you." Roman didn't care what they would find waiting for them down there. He and Seth could deal with whatever it was. "We owe you."

"Just remember that next time you're supposed to triple powerbomb me."

...

Having someone completely at his mercy was something Bray never could get tired of. However, he didn't think he would ever find it more beautiful now that he had Dean in that position. They had been in bed for hours now, their skin drenched in a mix of sweat, cum, spit and blood. The only time Bray had moved off of Dean in this whole time was when he had gone to get a piece of broken glass. Just like he had in the hotel room Bray had cut Dean, only he hadn't bothered to start with shallow cuts. He marked Dean eagerly, wanting to carve an entire mural into Dean's beautiful flesh. He wanted the other man to remember who he belonged to when they were apart. He wanted to ruin him for whoever could come along and try to take him. Every inch he dragged the jagged edge of the glass caused such sweet whimpers. Bray felt himself growing more and more aroused with each cry of pain and plea for him to stop-and despite Dean's words, his body betrayed him like it always did.

"Oh little lamb..." He had Dean face down on the bed. All the scars from the barbed wire matches had begged to be reopened and he caused new ones right along side them. It would be so easy to just plunge back into Dean's tight heat from that position. To pound him until he screamed but that was too impersonal for Bray's taste. "Such a beautiful little lamb." Bray flipped Dean on to his back and spread his legs to position himself back in between them. He thrusted back into the smaller man easily, absolutely delighted when Dean moaned and arched his hips up. "God damn darlin." He leaned down and slowly licked his way from Dean's chest up to his mouth. "You're just so eager."

Dean closed his eyes and turned his head to the side.

"No no no no." Bray thrusted sharply and bit down on Dean's cheek to make his eyes open once more. "Look at me now." He grabbed Dean's face and jerked his head back sharply so they were looking each other straight in the eyes. "No more hiding."

Dean's expression was a work of art. There were so many emotions and most of them conflicted with each other in some way. Shame, fear, anger, resignation, lust, longing-he was such a conflicted mess. As much as Bray desired him to finally just give in, all the inner turmoil was a sight to behold. And it was all because of him. This man who everyone labeled a lunatic force of nature was breaking. Shattering underneath his will. The power he felt from just knowing that was intoxicating.

Bray suddenly flipped them over so Dean was straddling him. His hands gripped Dean's hips tightly, holding them so tight he was going to leave bruises just from his grip.

"Ugh fuck!" Dean bit down on his lower lip and placed his hands on Bray's chest. His entire body was trembling. His hips still moved so easily though. He let Bray guide his movements, whimpers and moans still escaping him even with his lips sealed.

"Isn't it easier when you just give in?" Bray moved his hips upwards, forcing himself as deep as he could into the other man.

"Oh god fuck!" Dean's eyes were nearly rolling into the back of his head. Every thrust from Bray went straight to his prostate. Pre-cum leaked from the head of his cock but Bray didn't let him touch it. He tried but Bray took his arms and pulled them behind his back, grasping both his wrists with one hand while the other returned to his hip.

"See how easy it is when you just behave? When you obey?"

Dean mumbled something under his breath. Bray couldn't even begin to catch what it was. It didn't really matter. He had him where he wanted him. That was all that really mattered. He thrusted up harder, keeping Dean's arms locked behind him the whole time. He wanted Dean to cum from only him and he did so beautifully. He tried to bite back his cry but he failed. He failed so beautifully like always and upon his own completion Bray sat up and hugged Dean close. No words were spoken for once. Instead he just rested his forehead against Dean's shoulder and laughed.

...

The main house of the compound had two bathrooms; one for Erick and Rowan and the other for Bray. Bray's bathroom was where Dean found himself trapped in upon refusing to go along and meet the other members of the family. He was too tired and too sore and had no desire to interact with the freak show anyway. Bray had surprisingly not forced him to go along anyway. Instead he had drawn Dean a hot bath, got him nice and settled in the tub...and then attached a chain to his ankle and shackled him to the leg of the bath tub. Apparently he wasn't trusted not to stray yet. He had cursed at Bray and tried to get himself free but there was no escape. He finally just settled for laying there in the bath, trying to relax himself and not think about everything that had been happening. He wanted to just forget. God how he just wanted to forget. The constant stinging of the new cuts made it impossible. Most of them were still bleeding, staining the bath water red. The sight of it was nauseating. It was dirty, just like he was.

The door to the bathroom opened. Dean nearly jumped, confused because he hadn't expected Bray to be back so soon. When he saw who it actually was though he felt his heart sink. He never thought he would actually wish for Bray but that moment had arrived.

"Hello Dean." Harper dragged Rowan into the room and kicked the door shut behind him. "We need to talk"


	12. Chapter 12

The words "we need to talk" were never ones that Dean found to be any good at all no matter who was saying them. They were even less comforting though coming from Harper, who was giving him a very strange look. Disdain was definitely there but there was...well curiosity was the only word he could really come up with. He didn't find it much better than the disdain though. "What the fuck?" He was very, very aware of how vulnerable he was right then. Naked and chained to a bathtub with one large man looking at him like he was a science project and the other was wearing that damn sheep's mask so Dean couldn't even begin to know what he was thinking. Not that he credited Rowan with much in the way of thinking skills. Not that it really mattered because Rowan didn't need thinking skills to hurt him. He just needed Harper to let him run free and with nowhere to run and hide and no real way to defend himself, Dean was just screwed.

"Talk?" Dean did his best to make himself sound braver than he actually felt. It was bad enough he had Bray running all over him he couldn't let these two join in. He had to retain some sort of dignity. "Talk about what?" He sat up, now grateful that the water was clouded with his blood. It gave him some cover though not as much as he would have liked. "Talk about what?" He stared at the both of them, not sure which one he needed to watch more closely. "I don't got anything to say."

"Oh but we do." Harper led Rowan closer to the tub, his lips slowly turning up in a smirk as Dean instinctively sunk down more into the tub. "We got a lot to say."

Dean only watched apprehensively as Harper let Rowan go and they surrounded the tub from both sides. He hadn't even bothered getting out to begin with because the chain was really only long enough for him to be able to sit in the tub comfortably. He hadn't been able to even consider running at any point. "Do you?" Maybe if he humored them and played nice they would go away. Doubtful but he had to hope. His only other option on the hope front was Bray returning to shoo his boys away.

Harper dropped down to his knees so he could be face to face with Dean. His eyes were crazed but calculating. Dangerous. He wasn't the simpleton Rowan was.

Dean scowled and clenched his fists underneath the water. "Why don't you just say it then?" He let his eyes drop down to the dirty wifebeater Harper had on and sneered. "And why don't you ever wash that thing? For fuck's sakes you smell like an outhouse."

It was Harper's turn to scowl now. "It's too bad Bray hasn't cut out your tongue yet." He tilted his head to the side. "Or do you use it real good to trick him into letting you keep it?"

"Fuck you." Dean's attention was solely focusing just on Harper. His brain tried to remind him to keep an eye on Rowan too but it was hard when Harper was the one getting right in his face.

"You know what I really don't get though?" Harper leaned in even closer and Dean barely kept himself from jerking away. "What exactly he sees in you?" He reached out to touch Dean's face but got his hand slapped away. If that bothered him he didn't let it show much. "You don't seem that special to me." He reached forward again only for Dean to smack his hand away once more. "You're just a rat." His hand shot forward forcefully this time, not letting Dean knock it away again. He grabbed Dean's jaw and squeezed it so tightly Dean thought something was going to break. "A lowly little street rat that doesn't deserve half the attention Bray gives you."

Dean blinked. Was this jealousy? Were Harper and Rowan jealous of him? If he wasn't in such a vulnerable state he would have laughed at the absurdity of it. His position wasn't one to be envied. "If you want me gone then do something about it." Maybe this could be his chance to get out. He held his foot up to show off the chain. "Get me off this thing. You can have him back I'll go away I won't bother him again-"

"And what if he just hunts you back down again?" Harper's eyes narrowed. "You think he's just going to let you go?" He was glaring at Dean. Looking at him like it was his fault that Bray was obsessed with him. "All he thinks about is you. All he wants is you. This family needs him but you're taking him away." This was the most Dean had ever heard Harper talk and he was growing more and more apprehensive with every word being said. "But I could never betray him by letting you go."

Dean swallowed hard. Shit. "You can make it look like you didn't help me." He looked back and forth between Harper and Rowan. He had to convince them to let him go. "I wouldn't tell him I swear."

"You swear?" Harper whispered. He leaned in even closer and Dean finally had to shrink away. His breath was absolutely rancid. "What do you swear on Dean? Your boys? Your mother? Your career?" He leaned in even closer, almost in the tub with Dean now. "Your life?"

Dean opened his mouth to respond and that was when they struck. Four large hands pushed his head down under the water. Water filled his nose and mouth, choking the very life out of him. They didn't hold him under for very long but it felt like a life time to him. When they pulled him up he wrenched himself out of their grasp and bent over the edge of the tub. He coughed wildly, water and bile rising out of him and hitting the floor below. He tried to breathe, tried to get some sort of bearings but his reprieve was short. Rowan pulled him into a crushing bear hug, trapping his arms against his sides. Harper stood up and Dean saw him reaching for something in his back pocket. "Let go!" He meant for it to be a yell but he didn't have enough air in his lungs to manage that. Instead it was more of a croak and he saw Harper smile. The son of a bitch was loving this.

"I have no desire to see you in this family but it's not up to me." Harper pulled a large hunting knife out of his pocket and started to twirl it slowly in his fingers. "I won't lie to you Dean. I think you should have been laid to rot in a gutter a long time ago but it's not up to me." He closed the distance between them and pressed the edge of the knife to Dean's throat. "We serve Bray and if he wants you here then here you shall remain." He didn't hide his displeasure as he said that. "But I want you to listen close." He pressed the blade just hard enough against Dean's throat to make a small drop of blood emerge and trail slowly down his throat. "The moment Bray tires of you-which believe me, I hope it's soon-or you screw him over like Daniel Bryan did? I will cut you down and-"

"And what Luke? Feed him to the gators? The dogs? The pigs even?"

Harper, Rowan and Dean looked to the doorway in surprise. Bray was standing there now and he looked less than thrilled at the scene he had stumbled upon. Dean didn't know whether to be relieved or not. On the one hand Bray could make Harper and Rowan let him go. On the other, if they already wanted him dead now then having Bray take his side in this situation surely would only exasperate that.

"Put him down," Bray told Rowan. "Now."

Rowan did as he was told, unceremoniously dropping Dean back down into the bathtub.

"Go." Bray stepped the rest of the way into the room and motioned for Harper and Rowan to leave. "Go before I decide not to forget this little incident."

The two men immediately obeyed. Dean watched them go, rubbing his throat as he did so. He didn't feel like this was over. He didn't think it could be. Not by a long shot.

Bray closed the door behind his two henchmen and looked at Dean. "My boys are protective." The anger he had turned into amusement so fast that it made Dean's head spin. "Jealous too." He shook his head as he grabbed a towel. The amusement was gone now. "Jealousy is an ugly thing. Many of wars were fought from it and I won't have it in my house." He walked over to the tub and pulled the keys out of his pocket. "I'll handle my boys." He grabbed Dean's leg and unlocked the chain from his ankle. "Don't you worry about that."

Don't worry. A request Dean couldn't even begin to obey. He snorted and tried to say as much but all that really came out was a mumble. He ignored the hand Bray held out for him and got out of the tub himself. He reached for the towel but Bray held it back despite having grabbed it for him in the first place. "Fucking give it," he growled. He didn't want to be fucked with anymore. He was tired of it.

"I want to show you something."

"I need to get dressed." Dean tried to grab the towel again but Bray pulled it out of reach again.

"You'll walk around this whole compound naked if I tell you." Bray actually made it seem like that would be the order for a moment. Thankfully his own possessiveness shone through and he handed Dean the towel. "Dry off and get dressed."

Those were orders Dean could comply to without argument. Unfortunately he couldn't even really put his own shirt on. The moment the fabric touched the cuts on his back and torso he nearly screamed.

"Maybe I went a little too hard," Bray said quietly as he watched Dean throw the shirt back down to the floor angrily.

"You think?" Dean looked down at himself and grimaced. He was carved up so bad he didn't even know how he would ever go on to wrestle without his shirt again. "You fucking mutilated me!"

"You're still beautiful to me." His tone clearly implied that nobody else would. And despite his brief moment of reflection he didn't sound sorry. Instead he just snagged Dean by the waist, pulling him in close so he could drop his head down and run his tongue over some of the cuts on his chest. Dean shuddered but didn't push him away. "Come on." Bray leg go of his waist and took him by the wrist. "Let's go."

"Go where?" Dean tried to drag his feet and nearly got yanked face first to the ground. The arm Bray had was the one with the shoulder he had dislocated and Dean felt it nearly go out again. "Ow!" He stumbled and had to grab on to Bray's arm with his free hand to regain his footing. "Asshole," he grumbled under his breath. He made himself keep up after that. In the back of his mind an old memory began to pop up. It was from years ago, when his mom had been dating one of the many assholes in her life. He had been a particularly nasty asshole and Dean remembered watching him drag her around out in public much like this. And there he was now, getting dragged around by his own psychotic asshole of a...well boyfriend didn't feel like the right word. Neither did lover. Captor. Owner. Those words felt more appropriate at this point.

Bray took him out the back door. The three rows of cabins that the other members of the family lived started almost ten feet away from the main house. Bray led Dean between the second and third row, not letting him on what he was looking to show him. He wanted to surprise him. Dean had always hated surprises. There was no way he was going to like this. Hell, he was fairly certain this would be worse than any other surprise he had gotten before.

They came to a halt to the last cabin on their right. Dean tried to linger back once more but Bray practically shoved him towards the door. "Go on." Bray stepped right behind him and grabbed the back of his shirt. "Go inside."

"Why? What's in there?" Dean's chest suddenly felt like it was in a vice. He didn't want to go in there. He had no clue what could be in there but he knew he didn't want to find out.

"Just look."

"But-"

Bray grabbed a fistful of his hair and yanked back so violently Dean yelped in pain. "I'm not gonna say it again," he growled. His lips were nearly touching Dean's ear, his hot breath making him shiver. "You understand?"

Dean tried to just nod but Bray's grip wouldn't allow it. "Y-Yes," he finally said.

"Good." Bray let his head go but kept a hold of his shirt. Dean reluctantly opened the door and let himself get shoved inside. The first room of the cabin was dimly lit and only possessed a fireplace and a large round oak table. Isabella sat there, a lantern giving her light to play with the rag doll in her hands. She looked up as Bray closed the door behind them and smiled. The glow of the lantern gave her an eerie look though that wasn't made Dean freeze. Her eyes. He didn't know how he had missed it before. Her eyes were exactly like Bray's. Her nose was somewhat like his too but her eyes were what really told the story. Fuck how hadn't he seen it before? He looked back and forth between them. Part of him tried to deny the conclusion he had already drawn. She had called him Brother Bray and not dad...yet the way Bray was looking at her told Dean more than enough. He couldn't be surprised. Sexual exploitation ran rampant in cults. Bray certainly did it to him and it wasn't hard imagining him doing it to a woman and spawning something out of it.

"Isabella helped us catch an intruder," Bray announced. He moved his arm so it was around Dean's waist, his grip even tighter than before. "We get a lot of those. Sometimes it's little bugs coming to make a mockery of my family." He smiled but it seemed to only be a disguise to his anger. "They think we're a zoo. That we're something to be prodded and laughed at but they don't realize that once they step inside our walls they don't have cages keeping us away. They're in the lion's den and we bite. We bite hard." Bray leaned in and spoke softly so only Dean could hear him. "But you already knew that."

Dean stiffened at those words. He did know that. He knew it all too well.

"Sometimes though it's a liar and deceiver that gets in." Bray motioned for Isabella to get up. She complied immediately, grabbing the lantern as she did so. "Sometimes they come in swearing that my family is their own. They come in swearing love they never gave before. They say I'm the liar. That I'm a poison running through their veins and leaving is the cure."

Dean completely agreed with that but held his tongue. He was more concerned with what Isabella was leading them to than fighting about Bray's perception of what he and his so called family were.

"It doesn't matter which one it is though." They came to a stop outside another door. Bray smiled as muffled screaming reach their ears. A genuine smile and Dean wanted to run. He wanted to run more than anything but Bray wasn't letting him go anywhere. "I let the boys handle most of them. Though I could make some exceptions." He shot Dean a look that made it more than clear he meant Seth and Roman. "Open the door."

Dean thought he was talking to him but Isabella opened the door before he could do it. She stepped right in, her lantern joining the four others that lit the room. The windowless room was occupied by several large men who stepped out of the way as the door opened. Their movement revealed a man tied to a chair, beaten and bloodied and trying to plead with his captors even with a gag stuffed in his mouth. The attempted pleas fell on deaf ears. Over and over they struck him, bruising skin and breaking bones. Dean tried to look away but Bray turned his head back, making him look once more. Bray didn't say a word but he didn't have to. Dean wasn't stupid he caught on to what this was. It was a warning as to what could happen if Seth and Roman decided to show up. Dean felt his stomach turn and he stubbornly closed his eyes, for once willing Seth and Roman not to give a shit about him. Willing them to not ever come look for him down there. He had a terrible feeling if Bray did get the chance he would do something much much worse to them and he wasn't worth that. He wasn't worth that at all.


	13. Chapter 13

Roman stopped the car long before they were in sight of the actual house. It was dark, nearly midnight yet Seth had never felt more awake in his life. His entire body was tense. So tense it felt like he was actually vibrating. He and Roman were clad from head to toe in black, armed with a tire iron and a baseball bat. Neither one of them had a gun license and didn't even know how to go about getting one illegally. There was no time to find out. They had to hope what they had was enough. There was though a more pressing issue than their choice in weapons. The road they were on was supposed to lead them straight to the main house on the compound but they couldn't take it head on. Even in the dead of night it was too risky. They had to go in more towards the swamp, get in towards the side and head for the back door. But how either of them had expected to even accomplish that in a swamp in the dark was beyond him. It had seemed so simple when they had just talked about it. But now they were there with no flashlight to guide them because they didn't want to accidentally give themselves away. The plan suddenly didn't feel good enough anymore. There was no time for anything else though. Dean had been down there too long as it was. They had to get to him and get to him now.

"We can do this." Without needing to be told Roman leaned over and kissed Seth's cheek. "You hear me? We can do this."

Seth forced himself to nod along. He wanted to believe Roman. Wanted to believe him more than anything. "Yeah." He had to accept the words as truth they would never get through this if he didn't. "Let's go." He opened his door, only then noticing just how sweaty his palms had become. His heartbeat was quickening with every second that went by. He took a deep breath to try to get it back under control. He had to focus. He was being counted on he couldn't fuck it up now.

Roman took the lead despite not knowing the area any better than Seth did. He could see better in the dark that was all he had really going for them. That and determination. If he was having the same fears that Seth was he wasn't letting them show in the slightest. He just moved himself forward, making sure Seth kept a hold of his shirt as they went. Seth's eyes gradually adjusted to the dark. That didn't make him feel much better though. The wooded area they were going through felt like something out of a horror movie. He swore he saw figures behind the trees but nothing came out to grab them. The sounds around them seemed so loud to the point it was almost unbearable. The frogs, the crickets, a growling that he swore was coming from a bear or a wild cat or something. He gripped the baseball bat more tightly. "Ro..."

"Just keep moving," Roman told him. His hand that wasn't holding the tire iron reached back to grab Seth's arm. "Come on."

Seth did what he was told, actually relieved when he finally saw the Wyatt house. That feeling didn't last long though. The run down house looked to be completely dark on the inside. From where they were they could still see more of the front than they could the back. It seemed like it would be so easy to get in that way. There was nobody that they could see standing guard. Nobody seemingly looking in that direction. Yet they didn't go for it. Daniel had warned them not to and honestly it felt like they would be tempting fate too much by not listening. What was supposed to be around the back though made Seth more than a little nervous now.

"There's some bushes over there." Roman pointed even though Seth could see them perfectly fine. "We'll be able to see better from there." He waited for Seth to say something but nothing came. With a frown he turned to face the younger man. "Seth?"

Seth forced himself to nod. Silently though he was questioning everything they had talked about doing in the car. He prided himself on being good with plans. With Dean being a lunatic and Roman more apt to seeking and destroying he had to be. But now his usual confidence was gone. So much was on the line. If they got caught he couldn't imagine what would happen to them. What would happen to Dean. Things had to go perfectly or they were fucked on a level they had never been on before.

The stretch of yard they had to run across to get to the bushes felt like it stretched for miles. They slid to a stop on their knees, barely dropping out of sight before being seen. Seth felt his heart leap up into his throat. The man walking around was nearly as big as Rowan and Harper though not as heavily bearded. He stopped and looked straight at where they had just been. Seth and Roman held their breaths as they waited for something to happen. The moment ticked by and Seth was nearly sick thinking the man would come over towards them. It didn't happen though. After taking a look around the man turned around and started walking away.

"Stay here."

"Wait what?" Seth barely had time to process the order before Roman took off out of the bushes. He moved swiftly and quietly, swinging the tire iron and striking a knockout blow. The man fell in a heap to the ground, barely making a sound. Roman took a quick look around before grabbing the man under the arms and dragging him to the bushes. "What if we wakes up?" Seth asked with wide eyes.

"I don't think he's going anywhere for awhile." Roman positioned the unconscious man so none of his long limbs stuck out of the bushes. Once he was done he took another look around. "I don't see anyone. Do you?"

Seth looked and eventually shook his head. "Nobody. I think we're clear."

"Let's go then." Roman took the lead again heading towards the back door of the house. Seth's heart was pounding so hard he thought it was going to burst out of his chest. A thousand things were running through his mind but he forced himself not to focus on any of them. He just forced himself forward, cringing at the wooden porch steps creaked under their weight. The screen door nearly came off its hinges as Roman opened it. Seth grabbed the handle of the chipped up oak door and turned it slowly, testing to see if it was locked. It gave and a surge of bravery coursed through him. He led the way inside and shut the door behind Roman as he followed. They were in.

...

Seeing Bray sleep was an odd thing. Dean didn't know why he found it so odd since everyone had to sleep at some point but it was. Bray laid on his side, his arm draped over Dean in a tight, possessive hug while his face was buried in the crook of Dean's neck. Dean was laying on his back, staring at Bray even though he didn't really want to. He couldn't sleep. He had tried he really did. He was so exhausted but he still couldn't sleep. His brain wouldn't allow for that. First all he could do was replay everything that had happened since Bray had showed up at his apartment and then moved on to how he was supposed to face Roman and Seth come Monday. The thought literally made him sick. If they found out everything they were going to be disgusted and that would be it or they wouldn't care at all and the past fifteen months of friendship would be revealed to be one big lie. Either way Bray would right and Dean didn't know how he could begin to stomach that.

Blinking back tears he forced his gaze back up to the ceiling. He wondered if the eventual rejection would hurt less if he let Bray win completely beforehand. It was happening anyway and he just didn't want to hurt. It wore him out being the one to get shafted over and over again by the people in his life. He didn't want Seth and Roman to be the same way but how could it be avoided? He wasn't good enough for them. He never had been. What could they possibly see in him that would make them stick around? Hell, what did Bray even see in him? Harper was right. He was nothing more than a lowly street rat. That was all he had ever been yet Bray had been devoting himself to taking his will, taking his body and taking his very fucking soul. And why? Was it because he was just that easy? Was there something about him that Bray actually found appealing? Could he live with himself if he gave in completely? If he just gave everything to Bray and became what he wanted? Bray made him feel wanted and loved but Bray's idea of those things was terrifying. He didn't admit to being scared of much but Bray scared the shit out of him. He tried to pinpoint the moment it happened. Had it been at the apartment? The rape in the car? Arriving at the compound and watching the power he had over so many people? The realization that Bray had wanted more out of him than just sex? Maybe it was all of these things. He didn't know.

The room suddenly felt too hot to even breathe in. Being very careful not to wake Bray, Dean slipped out of bed and tip toed out of the bedroom. He went into the bathroom and closed the door behind him. Only a small bit of moonlight streamed in from the window that sat high up on the wall. He sank down to his knees and hugged himself tightly. He still hadn't been able to put a shirt on. It hurt too much to. It had even hurt to lay in bed. He wondered if the cuts would ever stop throbbing. He wished they would he was freezing now. He closed his eyes and tried to will his body to heat itself. There was no heat coming. No stopping the tears that had been wanting to fall. He moved his hand up to his mouth and bit down on it. He could faintly hear a door opening downstairs but thought nothing of it. It was probably just Harper or Rowan. Nobody that would care. He was still alone. Utterly alone.

...

The coast may had been clear to Roman and Seth but they missed the watching eyes of Isabella. She had been crouched down by her window, watching Silas do his patrol. She always stayed down low so nobody would tell her mother that she wasn't sleeping. She never really slept that much. As both a child and being so isolated she had no idea what insomnia was. She just knew that she couldn't sleep. So she watched, witnessing the intruders attack on Silas. She had wanted to scream when the bigger man had struck Silas with the weapon but she didn't. Instead she slipped away from the window and ran outside, going from cabin to cabin to rouse everyone from their slumber. Whatever the men wanted they wouldn't get it. She would make sure of that.

...

Despite the fact that it would have let them cover more ground Roman didn't allow for them to split up. He and Seth searched the house together, carefully opening doors and searching for Dean. The entire house smelled musty and rotten. It was falling apart on the inside as well as out. Roman didn't find himself surprised by this. It did weird him out though. He just wanted to get Dean and run. There was no Dean to be found though. Not yet anyway. That fact was making him more than a little nervous. He refused to let that show though. He couldn't afford to. Instead he kept the tire iron ready and led the search. Seth had a hold of his arm, his grip so tight it almost hurt. Roman wanted to be able to comfort him but this wasn't the time or the place. Instead he led Seth up the stairs, the faint sound of whimpering catching his ears. "You hear that?"

Seth nodded. "That sounds like Dean." Brown eyes filled with confusion. "Have you ever heard him-"

"No." Roman shook his head. "Never."

The stairs creaked and groaned with every step they took. Roman was convinced they were going to wake Bray and the others but somehow they didn't. There wasn't time to be thankful for that. They followed the sounds of the whimpering to a door and Roman opened it carefully, tire iron raised in case someone else was in there hurting Dean. The moment the door opened Dean scrambled away, throwing himself into the corner and not even looking to see it was them. He put his arms up defensively, like he expected to be attacked at any second. "Dean!"

Dean froze. Slowly he lowered his arms, his jaw dropping in shock to see them standing there. Blue eyes were red and puffy and his face was damp from crying. "Oh god..."

"Dean!" Seth was the first to go to him though Roman wasn't far behind by any means. The younger man practically threw himself on Dean, crushing him in a hug and planting kisses all over his face. A small pained gasp escaped Dean's swollen lips but he didn't push Seth away. He didn't hug him back but he didn't push him away. The faint lighting in the room let Roman see the look on his face. Confusion, reflief, fear, shock-he seemed to be at a loss for what to do. He looked even more startled when Roman joined the embrace. Roman was not an affectionate man by any means. For Seth he had started making more exceptions but for the most part he was usually so stoic. Yet in that moment Roman could have sang on a rooftop he was so relieved. There was Dean in one...well perhaps not one piece. In their hug Roman saw the cuts on his body. They completely covered his chest, stomach and back, all of them looking horribly deep.

"You guys..." Dean's voice was wavered. He wanted to relax in their embrace Roman could feel him but something stopped them. "You can't..."

"Can't what?" Seth was barely even listening. He was too busy fussing over Dean like he was a puppy that had gotten lost out of the yard. His eyes didn't go to the cuts or the bruises on Dean's neck. Even with only the moonlight Roman knew they were hickies. Dean noticed what he was looking and he quickly put his hands over him, his eyes dropping in shame.

"We need to get out of here." Relief was washing away in favor of remembering they weren't actually safe. Getting in and finding Dean was only half the battle. Getting out with him was the other.

Dean shook his head fearfully. "You guys gotta go I can't-"

"The hell you can't." Seth looked at him like he was crazy. "You can't stay here. That's what you can't do."

"You don't understand-"

There wasn't an argument that either Seth or Roman were about to hear. They forced Dean to his feet and practically carried him out of the room. He didn't fight them but he wasn't being helpful either. His eyes kept darting around nervously, like he expected Bray to pop out at them at any second. There were so many unspoken questions about what had happened to him but they had to wait. Down the stairs they went, hearts somewhere up in their throat as each step brought them closer to freedom. They headed for the back door but what stood in front of it made them stop. A little girl no older than five stood before them. Blonde hair, blue eyes, long night gown and a lantern in her hands that gave her heart shaped face an eerie glow. Roman and Seth exchanged looks. "What the fu-"

"Isabella please..." Dean swallowed nervously. He shook his head frantically as she sucked in a sharp breath. "Don't-"

A high pitched shriek emerged from the child, nearly deafening the trio. From upstairs they heard Bray give a shout and Roman's heart sank.

They were hosed.

 


	14. Chapter 14

"RUN!"

Seth's cry barely registered in Dean's brain before he was nearly dragged off his own feet. Roman and Seth were sprinting towards the back door and he managed to regain his footing so he could run with them. They nearly trampled over Isabella though none of them were about to feel bad about that. Seth got to the door first and threw it open. What waited for them wasn't their freedom though. Other members of the family were there to meet them before they could even get outside. Big burly men crashed into Seth, knocking him back. He fell into Dean and they both went sprawling to the floor. Roman managed to stay up on his feet, grey eyes blazing as he started swinging the tire iron in his hands like there was no tomorrow. From his spot on the floor Seth was already kicking, nailing one of the men in the groin and giving himself enough space to get back up. The baseball bat was still in his hands and he started swinging much like Roman. Nobody was paying Dean any mind though. Everyone stayed clear of him, focusing all their attention on attacking Roman and Seth. Dean scrambled to his feet and jumped into the fray, violently fighting to grab Seth and Roman so they could push their way past men and get out. They had to go Bray was going to be coming. Harper and Rowan had already jumped into the fray, going after Roman and Seth and leaving him alone. It struck him as odd given what happened between them earlier but the explanation soon came in the form of Bray yanking him back by the hiar and pulling him away from the chaos.

"GET THEM DOWN!" Bray shouted. His eyes were nearly popping out of his head he was so incensed. "GET THEM DOWN!"

"NO!" Dean fought against Bray's grip. Frightened blue eyes were locked on Roman and Seth. They were fighting so hard but the numbers were becoming too much for them. Dean had to help them but he couldn't get away from Bray. "Stop! Bray stop make them-"

CRACK! Faster than Dean knew what was happening Bray had spun him around and cracked Dean across the face with a backhand. The blow stunned Dean and Bray took advantage by shoving him to the ground.

"DEAN!" Seth tried to jump away from the fray to get to Dean but Harper cut him off with a hard tackle.

"HOLD HIM DOWN!" Bray's eyes were locked on to Seth while he dropped down on to the grounded Dean. "Get them both down and then I want everyone but Rowan and Harper out." He was so busy giving commands he didn't notice Isabella hide herself behind the furniture so she wouldn't be made to leave too. Dean and Seth both noticed but they had bigger things to worry about. Both were struggling to get out of their respective captors though Dean's struggles died when Bray leaned over and got in his face. The wild look the bigger man was giving him chilled him to his very core.

"Where were you going little lamb?" Bray asked quietly. In running downstairs he had only put on a pair of pants on his way. Scratches decorated his chest and back, all made by Dean when they had sex just a few short hours ago. "You weren't running away now were you?"

"Leave him alone!" Roman snarled. In the midst of the chaos and Bray's sudden burst of violence towards him, Dean hadn't seen what happened to Roman. The Samoan was bleeding profusely from a cut above his eyebrow, his eyes glassy and dazed from whatever blow to the head he had taken. Rowan was able to hold him in a bear hug while Harper held Seth. The other men had cleared out like Bray had ordered, leaving Bray to hold court his intended audience.

"Leave him alone?" The laugh Bray emitted told Dean just how much trouble they were all in. "Leave him alone?" Bray looked back and forth between Dean and his Shield brethren. "How could I ever leave my little lamb alone?"

"He's not-" Seth was cut off by Harper clamping a hand over his mouth.

"Oh he's not? Are you sure about that?" Bray stood up and dragged Dean up to his feet as well. "Do you two know what's been going on right under your very noses this whole time?" He smirked and sat down in his rocking chair. Dean tried to jerk away but Bray held him tight, pulling him right down on to his lap. Bray's arms wrapped around him again, crushing them together in a very deliberate embrace. "How about we tell you all about it?" Bray rested his chin against Dean's shoulder and smiled at Roman and Seth. "I think it's time don't you darlin?" Bray nuzzled his face against Dean's beet red cheek. "We've all lived in this web of lies long enough."

Dean wanted to scream. He wanted to tell Bray no. He wanted to beg him not to do this. This had been a long time coming but Dean didn't want it. This was already worse than he had ever imagined. Roman and Seth were both looking at him and he couldn't take it. He didn't dare look up to see how they were looking at him. His whole body was flushed with shame. Limbs had turned to jelly and his stomach churned, begging to just throw up. He didn't though. His body stayed still, not doing anything he tried to tell it to do.

Bray's fingers laced with Dean's as he began to tell his version of events. "Once upon a time there was a little lamb that wandered away from its flock..."

_Dean winced as he limped through the empty arena hallway. TLC had ended and he was about the only one still there. He really shouldn't have been. He had to drive from Houston to Dallas for Raw in the morning but going back to the hotel to sleep hadn't factored into his plans yet. He was too mad about how the match earlier had ended to care. Roman had accidentally speared him and cost them all the match against CM Punk. A fucking three on one handicap match and they lost. They were the most dangerous entity in the damn company and one schmuck was able to get lucky over them. Losing didn't always bother him but boy when it did...Seth and Roman had both gotten annoyed with his ranting and took off without him. Fuckers. Now he didn't want to be around them either. Maybe he would get his own hotel room and stay by himself. He'd have to hope his alarm went off on his phone but he would do it._

_As he headed back to the private locker room he shared with Seth and Roman (the perks of being with the Authority) he started feeling like someone was watching him. The hairs stood up on the back of his neck and he quickly turned around. All that met his blue eyes was an empty corridor but he didn't trust it. He grew up on the streets he knew damn well just because someone was out of his sight didn't mean he was out of theirs. "I'm not here to play games," he growled. "Show yourself."_

_No answer. Dean scowled and tried to make himself relax. Maybe he was just being paranoid after all. He turned back around to go on his way only to discover Bray Wyatt standing right behind him. The patriarch of the Wyatt clan grinned, his fedora tipped down so Dean could barely see his heavily bearded face._

_"Boo."_

"He came to me in a dream." Bray's eyes were locked on Roman and Seth, telling great delight in finally getting to rub it in their faces. Dean finally risked looking up to see how they were reacting so far. Roman was staring at Bray, eyes narrowed and jaw set angrily. Seth was looking right at him, trying to shake his head and move Harper's hand off his mouth so he could interrupt. "She showed me that he needed me. That his so called brothers, his so called best friends cast him out whenever they get a chance."

"That's a fucking lie," Roman growled. "We don't-"

"Then why is it that when he and Seth fight you jump in on Seth's side?" Bray smirked as Roman glared at him. "Or Mr. Rollins jumps to your aid when you and little lamb fight instead? Why is it when something goes wrong you blame Dean? You say he's reckless, he's nuts and then you cast him out to be the third wheel so you two can play like you're this darling couple? You three are a unit but you cast him out." Bray shook his head, a sick smile crossing his lips. "There's no more room in your bed from him and he's known it. Why do you think he's been in mine these past two months?"

_"Stop laughing!" Dean couldn't help the childish stomp of his foot as he growled. Bray had scared the shit out of him and all he was doing was laughing. "God damn it!" He pushed past Bray and tried to stomp off to the locker room. Bray was right on his heels, his gleeful laughter taunting Dean the whole way. "What the hell do you want anyway?" Dean looked around as he asked this, surprised to find Harper and Rowan not right up Bray's ass like they usually were. He didn't put it past them to be in the shadows though. Like The Shield, where one Wyatt was the others were soon to follow. The Wyatts were a whole different breed though. They were creepy, the personification of why Dean would never go anywhere near any set of woods if he could damn well help it._

_"I just wanted to see you," Bray replied jovially. He_ _stayed right on Dean's heels as he tried to walk away. "Is that so_ _wrong?"_

_"Yes." He reached his locker room and wanted to just leave_ _it at that. He went in and started to close the door behind him_ _when Bray pushed past him. "Hey!"_

_"Looks like Mommy and Daddy gave you the keys to the_ _castle." Bray completely ignored Dean's objections and began_ _walking around the room like he owned it. "Better than those dark_ _halls you boys used to frequent." He turned back around to see_ _Dean giving him a baffled look. "It's just as well. Those halls_ _belong to me and my boys now."_

_"You think so?" Dean folded his arms over his chest and_ _sauntered over to the larger man. He wasn't in the mood to listen_ _to sermons or psycho babble bullshit or anything at all really._

_"I know so." Bray seemed amused by Dean coming at him. He_ _let Dean get right in his face, actually smiling as the other man_ _tried to intimidate him. "I saw your match tonight. You boys seem_ _like you've lost a bit of your touch."_

_Dean scowled. "Punk got lucky."_

_"Of course he did. I mean if the oaf hadn't speared_ _you...though I'm sure that wasn't the first time he's uh...speared_ _you."_

_The innuendo was not lost on Dean and his face flushed in_ _embarrassment. "I don't-"_

_"What? Roman's never bothered with you? Or are you trying to say you've never been speared?" Hearing Bray Wyatt of all people speak in sexual innuendos was both surreal and oddly attractive. Dean should have slapped himself right then and there but he didn't. He tried to play it cool but the look Bray was giving him made him uncomfortable. It was like the bastard saw right through it and was mocking him for it. It wasn't something he appreciated. "We all know you weren't the one taking Regal every night-"_

_"Fuck you." Dean hated it when anyone brought Regal up to_ _him. "Just get out."_

_"Make me," Bray dared. It wasn't the defiant almost_ _childish demand that Dean would have made it to be if he said the_ _words. It was instead a simple request but somehow that riled up_ _Dean even more._

_"Make you?"_

_"Make me."_

_Dean scowled and went to strike. Bray easily caught his_ _arms and with quickness that was scary for a man his size he_ _pushed Dean back into the wall, slamming him back first and_ _pressing their bodies together. Dean froze, blue eyes staring at_ _Bray's own like he had gone insane. "What the fuck are you doing?"_

"You two can glare at me all you want." Bray leaned forward in his chair and taunted Roman and Seth with a smile. "You only made it all the easier for him to come to me." He began to run his hands over Dean's body, making the smaller man shudder and squirm. "He knows you're liars even if he don't want to admit it."

Roman growled and tried to break out of Rowan's grip. The blow to the head still had him woozy though, and Rowan was able to overpower him keep him in place. "Liars? We're liars?"

"Of the worst kind." Bray's fingers traced along all the cuts on Dean's body, slowly but surely making his way lower and lower. "You promise one thing but give another." His fingers teased the button of Dean's jeans, slowly undoing them despite Dean trying to push his hands away. "You promise justice but first it was only chaos and now you fall on the whims of the corrupt. You promise a brotherhood nobody can break yet you've been breaking yourselves for weeks." He pressed his cheek against Dean's, his fingers unbuttoning Dean's jeans and pushing down the zipper. "You don't care about him at-"

Harper suddenly yelled in pain and Seth finally had his mouth free. "We've been looking for you since you called!" He didn't even acknowledge Bray. His words were for Dean and for Dean only. "We've flown around this whole country trying to find you. We care!" He started hitting and kicking wildly, looking to get free of Harper's grasp completely. "He's lying to you he-" He didn't get to finish the sentence. Harper wrapped his hand around Seth's throat, squeezing it until only choking noises were leaving his mouth. Harper's eyes were crazed and he looked to Bray for permission to hurt Seth.

Dean looked back at Bray and shook his head frantically. His mind was racing he didn't know what to do. There was everything Bray had been telling him clashing with what had Seth had said and what he and Roman had actually done. They had come for him. They had come to get him but how could they want him once Bray was done talking? They didn't know everything yet. But being called a liar clearly angered Bray. He could dish it but not take it and he looked ready to give Harper the okay to just destroy Seth. Dean kept shaking his head, not wanting that to happen. Even if Seth and Roman were the ones lying, even if they were going to cast him out and leave him with nothing he didn't want them to get hurt. "Let them go," he pleaded. "I'll stay. I'll fucking stay just let them go."

"But the fun and games just started," Bray replied. A sinister grin was on his face. "They can't go anywhere until we have some fun."

"Wha-"

Bray's lips caught his in a searing kiss.

_The kiss was the last thing Dean was expecting. His mind went blank and for a long moment he just stood completely still. Bray paid him no mind and held the kiss, teeth nibbling on Dean's lower lip and tongue gently probing for entrance into his mouth. Dean didn't know what to do. What the hell was this? Very rarely was he ever taken by complete surprise but a kiss from Bray Wyatt had done it. A part of him tried to make himself push him away but his hands never obeyed the order. His lips took a mind of their own and he finally kissed Bray back._ _Bray seemed pleased and he deepened the kiss, his mouth having far more talent than just speaking pretty_ _words. He tried to push himself away from the wall, wanting far more control than what he was allowed in this current position. Control_ _wasn't about to be given to him though. Bray kept him pressed right against the wall, his hands wandering Dean's body over his ring_ _gear. Dean shivered at the touch. He had gotten laid just the night before yet somehow it felt like he hadn't been touched in years. Bray's lips moved off of his and traveled down to his neck. He sucked and bit down on his flesh, making the question Dean was_ _about to ask die at his lips. The question of why and what and all loomed in Dean's mind but it felt so good he had to just go with it._ _Nobody was here nobody had to know. "Oh fuck," he gasped as Bray's hand grazed over his groin._

_"Such a pretty little darlin," Bray whispered. He squeezed Dean's crotch through his jeans, rubbing his hardening cock through the denim. His mouth was for the most part still latched to Dean's neck. The hand not rubbing Dean's groin slipped under the smaller man's shirt, capturing one nipple in a pinch and twisting it into a hardened nub before going to the other._

_"Oh fuck!" Dean arched into both of Bray's hands. He wanted more. He needed more._

"Stop..." Dean barely got the word out. Bray's lips had moved to his neck to mark him all over again. He shivered as he felt Bray's teeth on him, his mind and body torn apart with the war they were fighting against each other. His body begged for him to give in. Even after everything one touch from Bray was all he needed to want more. But his mind desperately fought against it. This was a game. A fucked up game where he was a pawn. Bray was using him to fuck with Seth and Roman. To show off his power. Dean felt like a prize at a fair to be won. He was the object that wasn't ultimately desired by anyone. He was just the one they wanted to win to show that they could.

"Stop!" Dean surprised himself by managing to push himself out of Bray's grip. He fell off his lap and hit the floor hard, his left arm going numb because he hit his elbow in just the right spot. He winced but just scrambled up to his feet, gulping when he saw the look on Bray's face. He had done it now. Oh god he had done it. "I'm not doing this." His voice was shakier than he meant for it to be and he saw Bray smirk because of it. His sudden burst of bravery wouldn't last long. "I'm not doing this I'm not-"

"Not doing what darlin?" Bray slowly got up to his feet. "Why don't you tell me?" He pointed to Seth and Roman. "Or tell them?" His smirk got bigger as he approached Dean like a wolf advancing on his prey. "Why don't you tell them the truth? Tell them all the times you told me you were mine. Why don't you tell them all the things you've let me say about them without so much as a fight. You've believed I've told you about them even if you don't want to." Bray closed the distance between them and grabbed both of Dean's wrists. The look in his eyes was nothing like Dean had seen before. They had been taken over by a cruel, maniacal glow that sought to just destroy. "That's why you've given in every single time. You know I'm right."

"N-"

"Tell them about the dream." Bray kept right on going as if Dean hadn't tried to speak at all. "Tell them how you burned them alive."

Dean shook his head frantically. His legs were shaking so bad that Bray was even having a hard time holding him up. "Stop stop please-"

"Tell them the absolutely filthy things you were doing to yourself just dreaming about me." Bray let Dean drop to the floor and circled him slowly. "Moaning like a cheaper whore than your mother was. Just arched right for the taking."

Dean's face flushed in shame. He closed his eyes and looked down, covering his ears to try to block this all out.

"Or how about you still getting off even when I raped you?" The reveal was cold, callous, just set up to humiliate Dean and make him too dirty for anyone else to want to touch. "That was the real kicker." He was laughing. Bray was actually laughing and Dean wanted to throw up. "All that fight and all that screaming but oh how he still wanted it."

Dean pressed his hands against his ears harder and closed his eyes more tightly. He wanted to cry, to scream, to fight, to beg Bray to stop and then lie to Seth and Roman and say none of it was true. But he could do nothing. It was true. The words were all true and he swore he could feel the disgust coming from his teammates in waves. He could certainly feel Bray gloating above him. If there was ever a time the world could open up and swallow him whole this would be it. He wanted it to. He wanted to die on the spot and just rot in the deepest pit of hell. That would feel better than this did.

He was so immersed in his shame he barely heard the crash and the struggle going on in the room. It wasn't until Bray let out a shout that Dean looked up. Harper and Rowan had frozen in their spots, Seth was coiled up on the ground clutching his ribs and Roman stood tall, holding the end of a fire poker to Isabella's neck. The sight of it was so jarring. He was so gentle around kids. It was almost sickening how cute he got around kids yet here he was acting like he would stab one. Bray looked positively unhinged but he didn't dare move. That was his baby even if she was seemingly unaware of it. How Roman had seen her or why he thought to go for her Dean didn't know. What he knew was that Roman clearly recognized that the power was back in his hands and he didn't waste a second of it.

"It's Dean or the girl Wyatt." Roman's eyes briefly went to Seth who managed to get himself up and over to Roman's side. "Choose right now."

Bray looked positively murderous. Dean trembled as he waited for the decision. Bray grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and put his lips to his Dean's ears. "This isn't over," he promised. "Your boys have won nothing."

Dean shuddered and fell as Bray shoved him towards Seth. He fell to the floor and Seth quickly helped him up, pulling him to Roman's side.

"Get away from the door," Roman ordered. He still held the fire poker to Isabella's neck. "Right now."

Bray did what he was told and motioned for Rowan and Harper to do the same. Seth moved Dean to the door first while Roman shielded the both of them, Isabella still in his arms as hostage. Dean's legs were weak and the moment he and Seth were outside his legs gave out on him again. He crashed down on the back porch hard, the palms of his hands splitting open from the rough wood. Roman pushed Isabella towards the Wyatts and slammed the door shut behind them.

"Go go go go!" Roman shooed Seth off and easily scooped Dean into his arms. "I got him I got him go go go!"

Seth took off like a bat out of hell and Roman easily followed behind him. Dean clung to the older man's neck, his face buried against his shoulder. He didn't feel relieved and or saved really at all. Bray's promise hung heavy in his head. Bray was going to get them for this. The question now was just when and how.

 

 


	15. Chapter 15

Seth had never driven so fast in his life and he hoped he never would have to again. His heart beat wildly as he tried to put as much distance between them and the Wyatt compound in the shortest amount of time. Roman sat in the passenger's seat, still holding Dean in his arms. Dean hadn't said a word. He hadn't really looked at them either. His face had stayed buried in Roman's shoulder, body trembling. An occasional whimper escaped him and every time it did Roman tightened his grip on him. The older man kissed the top of his messy hair. Seth wanted to join the embrace so bad. He wanted to join the embrace so badly. Everything that had happened was hitting him. He knew it had to be hitting Roman. And Dean...god he couldn't imagine how he felt. "I don't think they're following us," Roman said as he glanced out the rearview mirror.

Seth didn't think they were either but he didn't dare slow down yet. It didn't feel like they had gone far enough. He could still feel Bray's presence. The way he had acted back there towards Dean would be forever burned in his brain. He had acted like he owned Dean. The way he touched him, the way he looked at him, and those things he said-the things he had said had been the worst. Not just the words themselves but the tone and the intention of it all. By the end he had been trying to humiliate Dean. It wasn't just about rubbing his and Roman's face in the fact he had been with Dean under their noses for so long. He had actually been trying to degrade Dean, to make him be something that nobody would ever want but Bray. It had been disgusting. Bray was disgusting.

There was a part of Seth that was hurt by Bray saying Dean believed the things said about him and Roman. He had thought they had created this tight bond and having Dean believe that he and Roman would just cast him aside was a little insulting. But that wasn't something he was even thinking about bringing up. He had seen Bray's mind fucking at work and if it had been going on for months then Seth could only imagine the things he would get anyone to believe. On top of that he knew all too well Dean had trust issues to begin with. Nobody in Dean's life had ever not hurt him. Either they did it right off the bat or they did it down the road. Even if he didn't want to believe it, how could he not be afraid that the same would happen again?

Once he was able to Seth got on the interstate and drove until he got them to Baton Rouge. It still didn't really feel far enough for his taste but his adrenaline had worn off and he suddenly felt too exhausted to be able to get them anywhere else without crashing. He pulled over to the first hotel he saw and killed the engine. Dean finally jerked his head up, blue eyes wide and fearful. "Where are we?"

"Baton Rouge." Seth took the keys out of the ignition. "We're gonna check in here."

Dean looked out the windows anxiously. Seth had parked the car in the darkest part of the lot, wanting it to blend in with the night. There was absolutely nobody else around them but Dean wasn't relaxing. "Do you want me to keep driving?" Seth asked gently.

Dean finally shook his head. "Don't matter," he muttered. He looked down at his hand, which were wringing together from anxiety. "Nowhere's safe."

Seth and Roman exchanged looks. The guilt Seth was feeling was insane. They should have realized something was up sooner. He shouldn't have argued with Roman when he had wanted to force Dean to come home with them. If he hadn't done that then none of the stuff at the compound would have happened. Maybe they still wouldn't have had the truth out of him yet but his body wouldn't be cut up all to hell, he wouldn't have been raped and he wouldn't have that horribly broken look in his eyes.

"He needs a shirt." Roman handed Dean off to Seth like he was a small child. With the shock he had seemingly fallen into though it was about the only thing they could do. Roman slipped shirt since he had a tank top on underneath. "Here."

Dean was reluctant but he let Seth help him put on the shirt, wincing as the cotton touched his wounds. They were going to have to clean those and make sure none of them were infected. Seth hadn't thought to stop at drug store when he had been in flight mode. Probably wouldn't have mattered. It was insanely late now there was probably not one open anywhere close by. Soap and water from a bath would have to do unless the hotel room came with a first aid kit.

"Let's go." Roman was the first to get out of the car. The moment he stood up he nearly fell over, the wooziness that came with head wounds hitting him in full force. Seth and Dean both jumped but Roman regained his own footing before they could get out of the car to catch him. "I'm fine," he said quickly. "Let's just go."

Seth wasn't sure if he believed that but they had Dean to focus on. Anything they were feeling, whether it be emotional or physical, had to be go on the back burner until further notice.

...

The only person they encountered on the way to their room was the receptionist but Dean still felt like he was taking a walk of shame. Paranoia had set in and every shadow looked like Bray to him. He was so confused about everything he didn't know what to do. Roman and Seth had stomped on everything Bray had been telling him and he was so happy about it. He really was. But Roman had gotten hurt coming for him and they nearly hadn't gotten out of there in one piece. Hell would be coming their way and Bray wouldn't stop until they either gave him up or he got them out of the way. The thought chilled him to the bone. He had no idea how they would stop him. He didn't even know if they could. The thought was terrifying yet it was part the course with his life. If he was fucking things up he was really fucking them up.

Seth unlocked the door and they made sure Dean got in the room first before they followed. The room was small, neither bed looking big enough for any two of them to share comfortably. Dean didn't go to claim one of them. Instead he went to the corner and kept his head down. He kept his eyes up enough to watch Roman and Seth, who both seemed unsure about what to do next. They both had questions but so did Dean and nobody knew where to start.

"When you called was he with you?" Seth finally asked.

Dean nodded.

"Do you know how he got in there?" Roman was the one asking now.

Dean shook his head.

"Shit." Roman pinched the bridge of his nose. "We'll have to get some of your stuff and bring you home with us."

Dean didn't see how their place could be any safer but he didn't express that out loud. "How did you..." he stopped and swallowed hard "how did you find me?" He made himself look up. "How did you know where I was?"

Seth and Roman launched into their explanation. Seth admitted to bringing Tamina and AJ into the mix before they knew who he was with, how they had flown to Vegas after the call from his apartment, talking to his neighbors and AJ piecing together that it was Bray. They confessed to turning to Daniel Bryan for help to find the compound and Dean groaned. More people knew. He could understand why Seth and Roman got them all involved but now more people knew. They would see what Bray had made of him. He closed his eyes and gripped his hair with both hands, his chest growing so tight he could barely breathe. He and Bray worked together how was he going to face him? He wouldn't be able to stay away from him forever. Seth and Roman couldn't babysit him 24/7. It would only take one moment, one single moment and Bray would be on him and he didn't know what would happen. Whether Bray was looking to hurt him or take him back he didn't think he'd be able to stop him either way. He was so weak when it came to him. So pathetic. So fucking pathetic.

"Dean!" Seth closed the distance between them and gripped both sides of Dean's head. "Breathe. You gotta breathe." He pressed his forehead to Dean's, forcing eye contact. "We're not going to let him hurt you."

"It just was sex." Dean wasn't even listening. Seth's promise was so futile he couldn't bear it. The intention of it was pure but they didn't know Bray the way he did. "I thought it was sex and I didn't get it but I just went with it." He tried to shake his head but Seth was still holding it. "It wasn't supposed to get like this."

"Dean st-"

"He thinks I'm his."

"It doesn't matter what he thinks."

"I told him...god the things I told him." Dean squeezed his eyes shut. He was nearly hyperventilating now. "He'd get me to say them and I didn't think anything of it." He tried to get out of Seth's grip. He couldn't have Seth touching him anymore. Nobody should have to touch him. He was dirty. So dirty. "I'm so stupid."

"Dean that's enough." Roman's hands were on him now too. "You're not stupid."

"I am!" Dean ripped himself out of both of their grip. He opened his eyes to glare at them. How could they stand there and act like he hadn't brought this on himself? Everyone knew not to fuck with Bray Wyatt and he had done that on such a spectacular level it wasn't even funny. "I told him I was his."

Roman shook his head. "He manipulated that out of you."

"But I let him do it!" Dean couldn't stop the words flying out of his mouth. He didn't want to push them away but that was always his impulse when anyone showed pure, genuine concern for him. Not that many had of course. "I let him cut me. I let him say those things about you. I let him rape me- "

"Dean!" Roman's voice boomed so loudly Dean nearly jumped out of his own skin. "That's enough." The larger man's tone left absolutely no room for argument. Roman reached forward and pulled him close, nearly crushing him in his embrace. "Don't think like that." He gripped Dean's face gently but firmly, making him stop and listen. "If you think like that he keeps winning."

"He's right." Seth stepped behind Dean and wrapped his arms around him. He rested his chin on Dean's shoulder, helping to make a sandwich out of him.

"You're not his." Seth pressed a soft kiss to Dean's cheek. "You didn't deserve any of the shit he did to you. It don't matter if it was consensual once he took it too far."

Dean bit down on his lower lip. The lack of judgment coming from them still threw him off. He didn't dare say anymore though. Roman's yelling had cowed him and despite his instinct to push them away he didn't want them to go. He didn't want them to go anywhere. He didn't want them to hate him and be disgusted with him. He wanted them to be there forever. He wanted their approval, their love, fucking anything that meant he wasn't alone. Anything that would mean Bray was wrong. Just anything and maybe he would be alright. He could hope anyway.

...

Bray had never been so infuriated in his entire life. His rage had been felt all across the compound. Punishment had been dealt out for those who had not seen that Isabella was out of the way and Isabella herself had been so frightened by his rage she hadn't wanted to look at him anymore. None of this served to sate a bit of his anger. Dean had been stolen from him. He had brought him home, had him right where he belonged and what happened? Seth and Roman violated the sanctuary of his home and taken him away. He didn't believe for a second that they had done so for Dean's sake. No, they were so convinced on making him into a liar they became even bigger liars than they already were and were now surely filling Dean's head with all sorts of things. And Dean would believe them because he was so desperate for their love and approval. But it still was only a matter of time before they hurt him. Before they cast him out and hurt him and Dean would come running back to him saying he was right. And he would accept Dean with loving arms Maybe he shouldn't with how infuriating the other man could be but he would. Dean had sunk into his soul, his twisted heart, his blood, his pores-everything was about Dean. He didn't realize how much it was so until they were apart. Even if it was just for a second it hit him. His head pounded and he couldn't sit still. Every beat of his heart, every throb of his pulse, every breath he took; everything screamed for Dean.

Bray picked up Dean's shirt that had gotten left behind and sat down on the edge of his bed. He put the shirt up to his face and took a long deep breath. Dean's scent was still there. Breathing it in gave Bray a brief blissful feeling. But as he exhaled it only became a reminder of what he didn't have. He growled under his breath. Seth and Roman would pay very dearly for taking Dean away from him. And Dean would wish he had never gone. It wouldn't take Roman and Seth to finally prove him right. If his mood didn't improve soon Bray himself would make him regret his choice more than they ever could. And he would enjoy every second of it.


	16. Chapter 16

_"Little laaaaaamb!"_

_"No!" Dean ran through the empty hallways of the arena. He didn't know how he had gotten there. There wasn't any time to figure it out. Bray was close by. Oh so very close and he didn't know where Seth and Roman were. He had to find them and they had to get out of there. Something bad was going to happen if they didn't. But where could they be? Everywhere he turned he didn't see them. He wanted to call out to them but he suddenly couldn't get enough air to do it. A choked scream was what he could manage and in the distance he could hear Bray laughing. The sound propelled him forward, letting him turn and run to the gorilla position. Nobody was there. Where was everyone? He couldn't be alone in the whole place with Bray. Someone had to be there. Anyone._

_He ran through the curtain and barely made it out on the entrance ramp when a sudden weight hit him from the side. The force sent him crashing down to the ground. The air went out of his lungs and he was so dazed that he didn't realize it was Bray on him until he was flipped over on his back. "No!" Sheer panic shot through him He tried to push Bray off him but his hands were quickly pinned down above his head. Bray's weight was on his hips. leaving him unable to kick him away. Furious eyes stared down at him and Dean couldn't breathe. His chest had tightened and his heart was beating so fast he felt like he was going to die. With the glare he was getting from Bray death would be better than this. He knew that for certain._

_"Did you think it would be that easy?" Bray leaned over him, his mouth lingering oh so close to Dean's that they were almost kissing. "Did you think you could just get away from me like that?"_

_Dean's whole body was shaking. He couldn't breathe. He couldn't think. He just laid there frozen, wanting to sob as Bray's hands began to wander over him. "Don't..."_

_"Stop me..."_

...

Roman was the first one woken up by Dean's whimpers. The three of them laid in one bed, he and Seth nearly falling off the edges so Dean could be in between them. He carefully sat himself up and looked down at the sleeping man. His expression was one of distress. A cold sweat covered his skin and before Roman could say a word to try to soothe him he screamed. A thrash followed and Seth awoke with a shout, falling hard to the floor in fright. Roman winced in sympathy but didn't go to help Seth up. Instead he pulled Dean into his arms, narrowly avoiding getting smacked in the face by an errant backhand. "Dean!" He shook the younger man firmly. "Dean!"

"NO NO NO STOP PLEASE!" Dean's screaming was absolutely frightening. He was so lost in his nightmare that Roman's shaking was having absolutely no effect. "I'm sorry." His entire body was trembling. He was shaking like a god damn leaf despite Roman's attempts to steady him. "I'm sorry don't Bray please-"

"DEAN!" Roman and Seth shouted at the same time now. Both their hands are on him, shaking him until her jerked awake violently. Blue eyes looked around wildly, not relaxing completely even after seeing that Bray wasn't in there with them.

"It's alright." Roman ran his hand over Dean's hair. The cold sweat that covered his palm immediately after was unpleasant but he ignored it. "You're safe." He pressed his forehead to Dean's while Seth rubbed his back. "He's not here. He's not gonna hurt you."

"Fuck," was Dean's response to that. He moved his head away from Roman's and rubbed his hands over his face.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Seth asked gently.

The way Dean froze made Roman glare at Seth for asking the question. Seth winced and immediately changed course. "You don't have to. It's just if you want."

Dean looked down and for a long time he was silent. Roman and Seth tried to comfort him but it was hard. Roman didn't even know if they were doing it right. He felt helpless just watching Dean suffer. Seeing the normally strong willed and brazen man be so afraid in their own hotel room was painful. It made Roman want to rip Bray's head right off his shoulders. He wanted to destroy the bastard and reduce him to something even less than what Dean was now. But he couldn't. Not now at least. His focus had to be the same of Seth's and that focus had to be on Dean. They had to find a way to fix the damage that had been caused.

"I still feel him touching me." Dean's voice broke Roman out of his thoughts. The trembling man was looking up once more but his eyes weren't focused on Seth or Roman. He was looking straight ahead, lost in his own world. "I can feel him all over me." He began to rub his hands over his body, digging his nails against his flesh as he tried to claw Bray's invisible touch away. "He doesn't stop I just want him to stop."

"Dean..." Roman grabbed his wrists so he wouldn't keep scratching himself. The instant he touched him Dean's eyes met his. Blue orbs glistened with tears and desperation. Roman felt a pang deep down in his soul.

"Help me." The plea barely passed through Dean's lips before his voice cracked. He couldn't say anymore but he didn't have to. It was becoming more and more obvious to Roman what needed to be done. They had to get Bray out of Dean's system. Drive him out of his mind. The only thing he had known for two months was Bray's touch and manipulation. They couldn't let that stand. Roman looked to Seth. He could see the younger man was thinking the same thing. Without having to say a word they agreed on what to do. Seth moved himself behind Dean, his hands gently rubbing up and down Dean's arms to try to make him relax. Roman pressed his forehead to Dean's, putting his lips close to the other man's but not quite on them. He wanted to make sure he had permission before they did anything. Dean was emotionally fragile. It would be all too easy to take advantage of him and that wasn't what they wanted to do.

Dean's breathing quickened and the plea came from his eyes. He couldn't form the words but the plea for them to do it was there right in his eyes and on his face. Roman closed the distance and pressed his lips gently against Dean's. He felt Dean's breath catch in his throat before it was released slowly and the kiss was returned. It was different than any kiss they had happened to share in the past. This wasn't a mid-match peck done because Dean was erratically affectionate. This wasn't a fight for dominance. Roman could literally taste Dean's fear. He could feel him nearly hyperventilating but when he tried to pull back and let him breathe Dean's hands found his head and wouldn't let go. His need for this contact was stronger than his desire to control his breathing. He needed to be grounded back to reality. He needed the hands touching him to be ones that wouldn't harm him on a whim. He needed the lips on him that wouldn't spew lies and manipulations. Roman didn't know if Bray believed all the stuff he said and he didn't really care. He was intent on undoing the damage either way.

Seth's mouth was busy on Dean's neck. The hickies on Dean's neck would no longer belong to Bray. Seth sucked and nipped on the skin gently, marking him as theirs. He kissed his way along Dean's jaw before turning Dean's head and claiming his lips. Roman didn't let the loss of the kiss disappoint him. He took a moment to enjoy the beauty that was his boys wrapped up in each other before letting his lips go to Dean's neck. Much like Seth had just done he began to mark Dean gently. Little gasps and whimpers emerged from the trembling man. He arched up into Roman's touch, letting him know he wanted more. Working together Seth and Roman got Dean's shirt off him and tossed it down to the floor. Roman let his hands wander over Dean's torso, his fingertips gently tracing the cuts that now scarred Dean's body. He saw Dean flush in shame and he shook his head. No. That wouldn't do. He leaned forward and began to slowly kiss every single inch of every single cut he saw before him.

Dean's whimpers were silenced by Seth's mouth recapturing his. In between kisses the two toned man cooed all kinds of words at him. Roman wasn't listening to the words themselves. Seth was saying them so softly that he couldn't really hear them anyway. The tone itself became the soundtrack to his kisses. His fingertips rubbed the spots on Dean's hips that were right above the waistband of his pants. His mouth was getting lower and lower and he felt Dean's breath quickening. He looked up to see Dean watching his every move while Seth continued to whisper in his ear. "We can stop if you want." He wanted to make sure Dean had an out. It still felt too easy to take advantage of him.

Dean shook his head. "Don't." He tried to steady out his own breathing but he wasn't very successful. "Do it." He swallowed hard. "Please."

Seth gave him a kiss before leaving the bed to retrieve the lube that perpetually lived in his bag. Roman worked on Dean's pants, tossing them and his boxers down to the floor alongside his shirt. Seth returned to the bed with the lube and both of them caught sight to the cuts on the inside of his thighs. They were more healed over than the torso counterparts but still made the other men suck in a harsh breath. Neither one of them wanted to think about how much those had to hurt. Roman lowered his head and kissed those as well, stopping only when Seth tugged his shirt off. Once they were all stripped down Seth popped the top off the lube and poured a generous amount on his fingers. Roman gave him a kiss as thanks before very slowly slipping a finger inside of Dean.

"Fuuuck." Dean's gasp was barely above a whisper. He closed his eyes and arched himself into Roman's touch. Roman moved the digit slowly, neither one of them noticing the glint in Seth's eye until he leaned over and wrapped his mouth around Dean's entire length in one fell swoop.

"Shit!" Dean thrusted up in surprise and Roman was sure Seth was either going to choke or have a broken nose. Neither happened thankfully. Seth gently pushed Dean's hips back down and sucked as Roman slid a second and then finally a third finger into Dean's tight heat. Dean writhed and moaned underneath them. Nothing he was saying was remotely coherent but the desperation was still there. Need so naked and raw his cheeks were flushed because of it. He whined as Roman's fingers and Seth's mouth left him.

"Sssshhh." Seth's mouth covered Dean's immediately. His own cock was hard, begging for attention but he ignored it. He just kept kissing Dean while Roman lubed himself up and positioned himself in between Dean's legs.

Dean broke the kiss and looked to Roman, the need and fear swirling together in his eyes. Roman immediately kissed him and pushed in slowly, swallowing down the moans from the younger man. One of Roman's hands slid under Dean to hold him closer while the other reached out and wrapped itself around Seth's shaft. The world had melted away into just the three of them and nothing else would ever be accepted again. "You okay?"

Dean nodded. Roman still waited, letting Dean's body adjust and relax completely before he slowly began to thrust. He pumped the hand wrapped around Seth's shaft in time with his thrusts, taking great delight in the moans coming from both men. He and Seth both leaned over Dean, trading off on who got to kiss his lips and who marked his neck and chest. Dean's legs were wrapped Roman's waist but he didn't seem to know what to do with his arms. First he hooked them around Roman's neck, clinging to him for dear life. Then he grabbed Seth, nearly pulling him completely on top of him. Seth and Roman narrowly avoided hitting heads there. "Oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck," were the only words from him that were remotely coherent.

Roman buried his face in Dean's neck, the tempo of his thrusts steadily rising. He felt Dean's hand grip his hair and he let him pull it. Normally he didn't let anyone do that but the circumstances called for an exception. Seth's mouth worked its way across Dean's chest, his tongue focusing on the nipple that had nearly been ripped off during a match with his old running buddy Jimmy Jacobs. Dean whimpered, the swollen nub extra sensitive from the scarring. Dean's free hand went south and wrapped around Roman's, his thumb brushing over the slit as he helped stroke Seth. Seth gasped and smashed their lips together, his hand wrapping around Dean's cock in return. His strokes were fast and hard, compelling Roman to thrust faster and match them. Dean moaned wildly underneath them, body trembling with need.

"We love you so much." Roman nipped gently at Dean's earlobe before kissing his way across his jaw. "So fucking much." Roman's lips captured Dean's, lovingly possessive with their force. The headboard smacked against the wall with every thrust, mixing with the slaps of skin on skin and the whimpers and moans from both Dean and Seth. Roman knew he was getting close but he wasn't about to lose it first. He took his one hand out from underneath Dean and wrapped it around his length right along with Seth. Dean closed his eyes and tilted his head back, trying to hold on but it was too much. Dean's legs fell off Roman's waist as he came, feet planting against the bed and arching himself up as he cried out. His release covered their hands and Roman's chest and stomach but they kept pumping, looking to get every last drop from him. Dean's walls tightened around Roman's cock and he stroked Seth faster, just barely bringing him to orgasm before he himself came. He stayed deep inside Dean, buried to the hilt as he tried to catch his breath. Dean's head lolled to the side and he tried to say something but Roman didn't understand a word he mumbled. Seth seemed to but he could have just as easily been pretending. It didn't matter all that much. Seth gave Dean one last kiss before he and Roman settled themselves back on either side of Dean. All was well for awhile.

...

Roman and Seth did their best to wrap Dean up in a loving cocoon but his ability to relax ended as they arrived at the arena for Raw. His anxiety had been mounting from the moment he had woken up and he nearly got sick as they pulled into the parking lot. Fans were screaming at them as they went in but they ignored them. Seth and Roman put Dean right in between them, telling him over and over that it was going to be alright. He wanted to believe them. He really did. But it became impossible with every single person they ran into. Everyone was either staring at him or quickly adverting their gaze and whispering to the person next to them. Something was up. There was no denying that. Dean's first thought was that now everyone knew. They knew they fucking knew. The question was who told them. He knew Seth and Roman hadn't, which left The Wyatts, AJ, Tamina and Bryan.

"We don't know if they know," Seth said as he glared at Eva Marie and Summer Rae, who quickly walked away in response. "They could be staring at all of us. Maybe we're like in trouble or something."

Dean doubted it. He tried to take a deep breath to relax himself but he couldn't. He was falling right into a full blown anxiety attack. His heart was going crazy inside his chest and he had to stop walking, his shaking hand reaching out and grabbing Roman's arm to stable himself. "I can't do this." He shook his head and tried to back pedal towards the door they came in. "I can't do this I want to go."

"You can do this," Roman assured him. He grabbed Dean and pulled him back before he could go too far. "We're right here you can do this."

Dean didn't feel comforted by that at all. He glanced up and down the hallway, catching sight of Daniel and AJ coming towards them. Together. They were never alone together if they could help it. Not after all the shit they had put each other through. Something was drastically wrong. Even Roman and Seth couldn't deny it. They saw the expressions on the faces of the former couples and exchanged looks. "What is it?" Dean didn't bother to hide the panic in his voice. The way they were looking at him prevented it. "What happened?"

AJ winced and looked at Daniel. "You tell him."

Daniel looked startled. "Me? We said you were telling him."

"No we said you were."

"Tell me what?" Dean was two seconds away from reaching forward and strangling the both of them.

"Well um...did you uh...realize you didn't leave the compound with your shirt?"

Dean froze. It was something he knew but hadn't thought about.

"What about the shirt?" Roman asked. "Get to the point."

Daniel sighed. "Our resident cult leader decided to cut up the shirt and wear it over him like Ryback does his shirts and he's been babbling something about lambs. Said his lamb was stolen from him and something about deceivers and war and I don't know but everyone's somehow put together that you're the uh..."

"Li-li-little lamb?" Dean was going to be sick. He was going to be sick he was fucking going to be sick.

"Yeaaaah." AJ put her hands behind her and shifted from foot to foot. "Did he call you that in the sack cuz man-"

"AJ!"

The collective voices of everyone but Dean made her jump. "Sorry but...uh oh."

The moment those last two words left her mouth Dean knew it was Bray. He felt the all too familiar eyes on him and he started shaking, not wanting to look. He didn't want to look and the others tried not to let him. But his body had a mind of its own and he found himself turning to look at Bray. He had the shirt on and his eyes went straight on to Dean's. Dean quickly looked away but it was too late. Bray's gaze burned right through him and he saw the anger. He saw the absolute rage and it was directed at all three of them. Seth and Roman had taken him away and he had let himself go and now the look on Bray's face promised all kinds of hell. Dean let out a whimper and sank down to his knees, his legs too shaky to hold himself up. Everyone but Bray looked at him in concern. Bray's eyes lit up and he smiled. The show of weakness was what he wanted. The sign that he still had the power. Dean had handed it to him on a silver platter and he threw his head back, laughing at the situation. Laughing so hard tears came to his eyes. Roman and Seth gave him a disgusted look before grabbing Dean and marching him away. Bray's laughter echoed through the halls in their retreat and Dean continued to hear it in his head long after they got to the safety of their locker room.


	17. Chapter 17

"Well?" Seth looked at Roman hopefully. They were back in their hotel room, having barely made it through Raw. Dean had somehow pulled himself together for when they were on TV but the moment the cameras were off him he dissolved into a complete mess. Any little sound scared him and nothing Seth or Roman said or did could convince him that Bray wasn't lurking around every corner. Roman had gotten on the phone with Stephanie and Triple H to try to cancel the match with the Wyatts at Elimination Chamber and had stepped into the bathroom to talk, leaving Seth to lay with Dean on the bed. He hugged Dean from behind, his face buried in the crook of the older man's neck the entire time Roman had been on the phone.

Roman shook his head. "The match is still on."

"Fucking seriously?" Seth quickly looked down at Dean, who paled at the news.

"They said there's too much money riding on the match." Roman threw his phone across the room in frustration. It hit the wall with a loud thud. "They said we'd be depriving the fans of one of the most anticipated matches ever." His fist hit the wall next, making both Seth and Dean jump. "Fucking disgusting." He hit the wall again. "We're nothing but pawns to them." He hit the wall yet again and Seth was sure he was going to break his hand. "After all we've done for them this is what we get."

Seth wasn't shocked. They should have known better. Stephanie and Triple H were completely wrapped up in themselves and their vision of the company. They didn't care about the fans or the wrestlers in the back. They pretended to but they honestly didn't. And these were the people they served. Not just worked for but served as their personal soldiers. They had let themselves become tools. It was enough to make Seth want to throw up.

"We'll keep you away from Bray in the match." Roman rubbed his now aching hand as he looked at Dean. If getting out of the match wasn't an option they had to start forming a strategy. They went into any match prepared but given the circumstances they had to step their game up to a whole different level. "You don't have to worry about that."

Dean didn't look very comforted by those words. Seth didn't think he could blame him. Even if they went into this match with the perfect plan, it didn't mean something couldn't go wrong. It didn't mean Bray wouldn't have something even better planned and it would come down to him and Dean despite their best intentions. They had to have him at least willing to defend himself if needed. They would protect him at all cost still but if he wouldn't defend himself once a worse case scenario popped up then it would be disastrous.

Seth looked back at Roman to try to communicate this through a look. He was sure Roman knew it already but the older man was the one unwilling to push the subject now. He looked back to Dean who was fidgeting in his spot. His fingers picked at his jeans and his shoulders started to do the rolling, twitchy things he had become known for. Nobody could actually figure out if he had somehow developed a tic disorder or if he just didn't like to sit still. "If it came to it-"

"Seth-"

"I'm only saying if in case anything goes wrong." Seth grabbed both of Dean's hands and squeezed them tightly. "I'm not saying it will but if something happens and you have to fight Bray-" his voice trailed off as Dean frantically shook his head. "Dean please."

"No no no no." Dean kept shaking his head. "I can't."

"You can."

"I cant'!" He yanked his hands away from Seth and glared at him. "I tried I really did." He looked in Seth's eyes and Seth saw the desperation for him to understand. "Before it got bad I couldn't even punch his stupid face when he got me alone. I'd want to but he..." he swallowed hard and shivered. "I just want him to leave me alone. I don't want to fight him I just want him to go away."

"And if we could make it that simple we would." Seth meant that with every fiber of his being. "We would but he's not." He let go of Dean's hands so he could grab his shoulders instead. "He's not going anywhere and he won't go anywhere if you keep giving him this power over you."

"Seth come on." Roman tried to pull Seth back with a shake of his head. "Back off a little."

Seth ignored Roman's words. He wasn't trying to be an asshole. That was far from his intention. But they had to start trying to get through to Dean now. Not only could stuff go wrong on Sunday and Dean could end up in a compromising spot, but they would never get him back if Bray still had a chokehold on him. Being in the same building as Bray had reduced Dean to a mess, never mind what happened when he saw the crazy bastard. Bringing him back just through simple love and affection wasn't something they had time for. Not when they were going to war in less than a week. "He'll never stop if he knows he can get to you. You're scared I know that. You have every right to be scared but you can't roll over and die every time you just hear his name!" His hands moved from Dean's shoulders up to his face. "Look at how he's hurt you. Look at the shit he's done to you. You don't want to hurt him back? You've busted people's heads open for less than what he's done to you." He kept right on babbling, not sure if he was getting through to him or not. It was hard to tell by the look on his face. "He won't stop just because of us. You have to show him you're done with him."

Dean stiffened. "You make it sound so easy."

"I'm not saying it is but-"

"Do you know what he said to me?" Dean pushed Seth back and stood up. He looked back and forth at Roman and Seth as he waited for an answer. "We were in his bedroom. And he said I could run. I can run back to you guys and hide but it won't change the fact that I'm his. I'm his until he gives me up and he won't do it. Not even after his final breath."

Seth felt a chill go through him at those words. "Jesus..." He didn't know what else to say. What could he say? After the way he had seen Bray treat Dean when they had all been at the compound he thought this had all been a game to Bray. It had seemed that way with his deliberate and abject revelations of things he had done to Dean. And maybe what Dean had just said was a part of that. Just something said to fuck with Dean and keep him under his thumb. Yet Seth could easily see Bray meaning them. He was insane but full of conviction. Twisted conviction but it was conviction nonetheless.

"You want to know what's really sick?" Dean was looking down at the floor, unable to even look at them. "I was fucking comforted by that shit." He chuckled bitterly. "I didn't think he "

"Dean..." Roman shook his head.

"Everyone I've ever given a shit about has left me." Dean didn't even hear Roman's voice. "Or they haven't given a shit back. I've never been worth anything it's not like I blame them."

"Don't say that shit." Seth shook his head and tried to get his hands back on the trembling man.

"Why not?" Dean stepped away from Seth, finally looking back up at him. "It's fucking true. Dad bailed, Mom was a fucking junkie yet nobody thought hey, let's call Social Services and save the kid. They saved my fucking cousin when shit got bad for her but they left me to rot." He shook his head. "You don't understand. You don't know what it's like."

"Maybe we don't." Seth couldn't begin to lie there. "But we love you. We don't think you're nothing."

"Seriously man." Roman finally spoke up. "If you didn't mean shit to us do you think we would have come looking for you?" His lips twitched and he tried to lighten the mood by joking. "I would have Superman punched you into oblivion by now if we didn't love you."

"We fucking love you." Seth spoke again before Dean could try to object. "Bray's fucking with your head. Maybe he thinks he loves you but he's delusional. He doesn't want you he wants the power over you." Seth shook his head as Dean looked back down at his feet. "That's on him though it's got nothing to do with you. He's a sick man. He feeds off having control of others. You told him no to shit but he did it anyway. He made you submit to him. That's not love. He fucking raped you that's certainly not love."

"I kept giving in though." Dean wrapped his arms around himself. "I kept letting him in I fucking knew better." He forced himself to look back up at them. "Why would I do it if I didn't want it? Huh? You're the experts here tell me fucking why."

"Because you don't think you deserve better," Roman said. He closed the distance between him and Dean, wrapping one arm around his shoulders. "All you've ever known is fucked up shit and that's what he was giving you."

"You want better than that I know you do," Seth added. "But you don't think you deserve it but you do. You have to let us give it to you." Seth stepped forward as well, pressing his forehead to Dean's. "You gotta be willing to believe us. Can you do that?"

There was hesitation but Dean did nod. Whether he nodded because he did want to do it or just to end the argument Seth didn't know. He hoped for the first but he wasn't giving up either way. Bray wasn't about to win this war.

...

Dean managed to fall into an uneasy sleep but by three he was up from a nightmare, body drenched in a cold sweat and heart pounding in his chest. The bright side was he hadn't woken Seth and Roman by screaming this time. Making sure to be very careful, he got out of bed and got himself dressed. He needed a smoke in the worst way. The entire hotel was a no smoking place but they had a little patio attached to their room that he could go out and do it anyway. If someone got mad about it they could just go fuck themselves. He really didn't give a shit.

He slid the glass door open but didn't shut it all the way behind him. There was no getting back through it from the inside once it was closed. He dug the pack of Marlboros and his lighter from his pocket. He only had one cigarette left. In everything that was going on he hadn't realized he was running so low. He took the last one out and tossed the empty pack aside. He put the end of the cancer stick in his mouth and tried to steady out his shaky hand so he could actually light it. He was perpetually trembling anymore he hated it. He finally got the thing lit and he shoved the lighter back into his pocket as he eagerly took his first drag. He had quit smoking when he had gotten signed but it didn't stick. He had been waging an on again off again battle with the things for the past couple years, much to Seth and Roman's chagrin. They'd be upset if they knew he was out here but he needed it to calm back down. They had to get through the Smackdown taping tomorrow he couldn't afford to go through the whole night without sleeping.

There was a small white circular table in the middle of the patio. He grabbed the back of one of the green lawn chairs at it and pulled it out so he could sit. Mid-move his eyes happened to go up and he froze. The wooden privacy gate that surrounded the patio was wide open. His jaw dropped and the cigarette fell from his mouth and down on to his bare foot. He didn't feel it burn him though. He couldn't feel anything but the sudden pounding of his heart. The gate had been closed when they had gone to bed he knew it had. All the doors had been closed and locked how was this open? How had they not heard it open? He didn't question who had done it. He didn't need to. It was obvious and he tried to yell for Roman and Seth. He really did try. He never got the chance to utter a sound.

An all too familiar hand clapped over his mouth and he died on the inside when he felt the body pressing behind him. "Fight me and I'll send my boys in there to finish off yours," Bray whispered in his ear. His arm was wrapped around Dean's waist in a vice grip. "Do you understand me?"

Dean's eyes shifted around and he saw Rowan and Harper standing at the open gate, both looking ready to attack at the drop of a hat.

"Do you understand?" Bray asked again.

Dean reluctantly nodded. His heart was pounding so hard he could feel it up in his throat.

"Do you think I'm bluffing?"

Dean shook his head. He knew far better than to ever think that.

"Good boy." Despite the anger radiating off him in waves Bray still smiled. "I was hoping you'd make this easy for me." He placed his tongue right above the collar of Dean's shirt and licked upwards slowly, circling his tongue around Dean's cheek before biting down hard. Dean whimpered but made no move to fight. If he fought Seth and Roman would suffer. He couldn't have that. After what they done for him he had to protect them in return.

"Watch over the other two," Bray told Rowan and Harper. He was already starting to drag Dean away but his eyes remained locked on his followers. "Leave them be if they stay asleep. I want them to myself." He chuckled evilly. "But if they wake up and start making a fuss then hurt them. Badly."

Harper smirked as Dean tried to shake his head. "With pleasure."


	18. Chapter 18

The room Dean soon found himself in wasn't actually that far from the one he had been staying in with Roman and Seth. It didn't really shock him if he was being honest with himself. Bray wanted to be close. Not only to make watching easier but now that he had Dean he could do whatever he wanted right under Seth and Roman's noses. Dean felt ashamed at the mere thought of what could end up happening. He didn't want this. His heart was pounding in his chest, his body rigid in fear. He wanted Seth and Roman but even if he had yelled for them when he had the chance, Rowan and Harper would have been in there immediately to get them before they were fully awake and processing his screams. He had to find another way out of this that wouldn't involve them getting hurt. He had to protect them. He couldn't forgive himself if he didn't try.

Bray kicked the door shut behind them. Dean tried to break free, his hand reaching for the handle but he only got slammed into the wall for his efforts. "What do you think you're doing little lamb?" Bray pressed himself against Dean's shaking body to keep him in place. "Do you think you're going somewhere?" His tone was soft but it was anything but sweet. The honey used to lure Dean in had turned bitter with his rage. "Do you think you can still run?"

"Let me go." Dean tried to push Bray away. "Let me go fucking let go!"

"Why?" Bray didn't budge. "You came with me so willingly-"

"Fuck you you fucking didn't give me a choice!"

"You could have still screamed for your little friends."

"So you could hurt them? How was that a real choice?" Dean kept trying to shove him off. "Just get off me. I don't wanna do this just go away."

"I can't." Bray buried his face in the crook of Dean's neck. His teeth found the flesh and dragged across it slowly. His hands tried to slip under Dean's shirt but Dean forced them back down. "I need you."

"Stop." Dean shuddered as Bray's hands tried to get up under his shirt again. He managed to push them down once more but just barely.

"You need me." Bray bit down harshly on Dean's earlobe.

"No." Dean couldn't fall for it again. He couldn't listen. He couldn't let himself keep falling for this it was wrong. He didn't need Bray he had Seth and Roman. They had seen what had been made of him and they hadn't thrown him away for it. They had pulled him in closer, treated him with tenderness that was completely foreign to him. It wasn't laced with honey to lure him in or had been done to get something out of him. They had just wanted him to feel loved. To make him feel like he deserved better. He could have better with them.

"You need me." Bray wasn't one to give up easily. His hand groped Dean through his jeans.

"No!" He didn't have room to throw a bunch but he managed to smack Bray in the head and slip out from his grasp. He bolted for the door, almost having it open before Bray smashed into him from behind. His forehead bounced off the door so hard it nearly knocked him out. He felt Bray's hand grab him by the back of the neck and suddenly he was flying backwards. He hit the floor hard and for a moment he was too dazed to do anything but lay there. When he regained his bearings he found Bray straddling him with a very dangerous look on his face.

"I've about had it with these games darlin."

"I'm not fucking playing!" Dean tried to push Bray off him. "You're the one fucking playing!" His head was pounding something fierce but he tried to ignore it. "You humiliated me! Fucking tortured me and fucking said you loved me-"

"I do love you."

"BULLSHIT!" Dean prayed he woke someone up with that cry. "You raped me! You raped me and you bragged about it and you fucking paraded me around like was a fucking whore." He couldn't just push Bray off him though that wasn't from a lack of trying. He balled up his fists and hit them against Bray's chest wildly. He was fighting but he still wasn't strong enough. Bray simply grabbed his wrists and shoved them down roughly above his head. "Let go of me!" He tried to yank his wrists free but Bray only tightened his grip and leaned over him, his teeth nipping at his lips in an almost playful manner. "Don't." Dean jerked his head to the side to try to avoid a kiss. His heart pounded wildly in his chest. "Don't please-"

"They want to make a liar out of me." Bray let Dean kept his head turned for the moment, instead placing little kisses all along Dean's jaw. "They didn't take you back because they wanted you." He switched to holding Dean's wrists down with one hand so he could use the other to pet his head. "They don't love you."

"They do." Dean squeezed his eyes shut, as if that would somehow help block out Bray's words. "You don't know them they do love me."

"Do they? Or did they just prey on what you wanted to hear?"

Dean's eyes snapped open and he glared up at the larger man. "Who the fuck are _you_ to talk about preying on people?" The audacity in Bray's statement truly baffled Dean. Did he not recognize the hypocrisy in his own statement? Was he that delusional? The answer of course was yes. And he wrapped so many people up in his delusions. He had gotten Dean, gotten him right where he wanted him until Seth and Roman had stepped in. And now he was going to do it again unless Dean remembered what Seth and Roman told him. Bray didn't love him. Bray saw how he expected to be treated and took advantage of it. Bray wanted him to feel like nothing unless he was with him so he could have the power over him. It was all about power that was how cult leaders worked.

Bray grabbed his jaw firmly and kissed him. He whimpered and refused to return the kiss. It was the only form of resistance he had. "Did they kiss you real soft little lamb?" His voice was so quiet Dean wouldn't have heard him if there had been any space between them. "Did they hug you and tell you it was all going to be alright? Did they whisper little sweet nothings in your ears as they had their way with you?"

"Shut up."

"Doesn't sound too different from me now does it?"

"Shut up."

"You're not answering me."

"They're not like you."

"You seem so sure about that." Bray suddenly stood up, pulling Dean up with him. "Objectively speaking though, we don't sound very different to me." He knocked his forehead against Dean's and locked him in an iron tight embrace. "We all lay a claim of love to you and call the other liars. We want to keep you from the others. You are what this war has become about. They took what's mine and now they have to pay."

"I'm not yours." Dean tried to shake his head despite the grip. "I can't be I fucking don't want to be anymore." He swallowed hard at the look he was getting now. "I shouldn't have said it. I said it so you'd get me off. I said it because you fucking scared me into it. I didn't mean it I'm a liar you don't need a liar like me." He nodded desperately to his own words. "You can do better I'm just like them." He didn't want this war Bray spoke of. He didn't want any of them to fight. Seth and Roman were going to end up hurt and he even when he tried to fight he was useless against Bray. This war couldn't happen. He had to stop it. "Just let me go."

Bray's expression was unreadable. He just stared at Dean, the growing silence having him torn between being scared and hopeful. "Little lamb..."

"Just let me go." Dean swallowed nervously. "You can let me go-" Bray's hot breath against his ear made him stop and whimper. "Please..."

"...No."

The answer didn't come as a surprise. There was no way for it to be a fucking surprise but Dean felt his stomach drop to the floor. "Why not?" The way the question fell out of his mouth was so pathetic and he hated himself for it.

"You haven't given up on your little friends so why should I give up on you?" Bray returned to pressing his forehead to Dean's. "I give up and I'm no different than anyone else in your life. And I'm not them. I told you I wasn't them why would I change now?"

Dean didn't respond. He didn't know what to say. He had said everything he thought would work. Yelling, begging, flat out rejection yet Bray wasn't listening. He was still dead set to have Dean as his own. He wanted to possess him, to drive out everyone else in his life so there was only him. Maybe in Bray's mind it was real love but he was so twisted it had turned into an untamed obsession. Dean knew better than anyone that this kind of obsession never ended well for anyone. Last time he had fallen into an obsession he and Regal both ended up burned. The same would happen here but on a more extreme level. "Bray-"

Bray cut him off with a kiss. He was done talking.

...

The fact that there was more room on the bed than there should have been slowly came to Seth's attention as he slept. He was so tired that he tried to shake it off and fall deeper into sleep but when he accidentally hit Roman's well muscled arm with the back of his hand instead of Dean's he opened his eyes. "Dean?" He turned on the lamp by the bed and sat up. "Dean?" His heart skipped a beat. The other man was nowhere to be found. "Dean!"

Roman jerked awake. "What is it?" He flipped his long black hair out of his face and rubbed his eyes. "What's happening?"

"Dean's gone." Seth jumped off the bed and ran to check the bathroom. The room was dark and empty. "He's gone he's fucking gone!"

Roman quickly rolled out of bed. "Did you check outside?"

"why would he be outside?"

"He's smoking again."

Seth wasn't surprised though he did groan. He looked towards the sliding glass door and noticed it was open just a little. "Dean!" He moved towards the door, Roman right on his heels. It seemed doubtful that Dean was out there. He would have heard Seth's yelling by now. _Maybe he went to go stand in the_ _parking_ _lot_ , Seth told himself. _Maybe he's just out of earshot but he's okay._

The moment Seth reached for the door it came open from the other side. Rowan and Harper stepped into the room. Seth froze, his heart and stomach and everything else just dropping tot he deepest pit of hell as Harper slid the door shut behind them. Them being there already answered where Dean was. Bray had him. They got him back only to lose him to Bray once more. Seth felt like the biggest piece of shit in existence at the realization but he had no time to dwell on it. Harper and Rowan were already lunging at him.

Roman shoved him out of harm's way and lunged at the two large men himself. He hit more of Rowan than he did Harper and the sheep mask wearing member of the Wyatt clan went crashing to the floor. Harper did stumble back at least and Seth jumped right in, punching and kicking at the bearded man wildly. He felt Luke stumble back more and he thought he was winning. It felt like he was winning but the triumph didn't last long. Harper grabbed his arms and managed to turn himself so he could throw Seth off him as hard as he could. Seth's body hit the glass and he felt it break. Roman's yell pierced his brain but he couldn't process what he said. There was no time. His head was the first thing to hit the cement and then there was nothing. Only darkness.

...

"Stop!" Dean jerked his head away from Bray yet again, his arms and legs struggling to get some kind of leverage to push the other man off. Bray had pushed him back on to the bed during the kiss. Dean had lost himself for a moment, just a single instinctive moment where he forgot himself and kissed back but he regained control of his senses. "Stop please stop."

Bray wasn't listening. His mouth was too busy sucking and biting on Dean's neck while his hands explored Dean's body all too eagerly. They slipped under his shirt, nails raking down over Dean's chest and stomach. Fingers began prying open Dean's jeans and his heart skipped a beat. Not again. He couldn't do this again. He didn't want this. His body was beginning to come to life despite not wanting it. He knew he didn't want it. He knew he didn't he felt like he was going to throw up.

Mustering up all the strength he had, he managed to get his feet under Bray and kicked him off long enough to sit back up. Everything became a blur. He didn't realize he was grabbing the lamp near the bed until he smashed it across Bray's skull and then he certainly didn't take the time to contemplate what he just did. He tore out of the room, sprinting down the hallway as fast as he could. "SETH!" The scream tore out of his mouth so violently his throat hurt. "ROMAN!" He had to get to them. Had to save them. Even if this came back to bite him in the ass he could at least make sure they were okay. "SETH! ROMAN!"

Doors were opening and he was being yelled at for making such a racket but he didn't care. He started to yell again but upon turning the corner to get to his room his voice died. The door stood wide open with Naomi, AJ and Brie Bella all standing outside "

"What happened?" Dean looked at them desperately. "What happened what happened?" He searched their faces for answers but nobody gave him one fast enough. He pushed his way past them, shaking off their hands and pleas for him to wait. He entered the room and came to a screeching halt. The room was completely destroyed. The bed, TV and table were overturned and the glass from the patio door was everywhere. Roman laid in a heap near the bed, halfway conscious and clutching his ribs as Tamina and Jimmy Uso tended to him. Daniel Bryan stood out on the patio, cell phone to his ear as he tried to check on the unconscious Seth. "Oh no..." He shook his head as everyone turned to look at him. "Oh no oh no oh no..."

"Dean it's okay." AJ grabbed him from behind. She hugged his waist tightly and pressed the side of her face against his back. "It's okay they're going to be okay." Dean didn't hear a word she said. He just kept staring at the scene in front of him in complete horror. This was all his fault. This was all his fucking fault.


	19. Chapter 19

As much of a blur as the ride to the hospital was, that was how fast time stopped as they waited for the extent of how badly Seth and Roman were hurt. Dean paced back and forth across the waiting room, mouth closed and hand incessantly rubbing his twitching shoulder. AJ tried to trail him, her little hands pulling at him to make him sit down but after he nearly knocked her down Tamina pulled her away. Under normal circumstances she would have kicked his teeth down his throat for doing that to AJ but she cut him some slack. Jimmy didn't seem ready to do quite the same thing. His eyes followed every move Dean made, his anger seemingly growing with every passing second. Naomi and Daniel both tried to calm him down but their words were falling on deaf ears. "Where the hell were you man?"

The question had been brewing ever since the hotel room but it still managed to take Dean by surprise. He stopped in his tracks and looked at Jimmy, wincing at the glare he got in return. "What?"

"Where the hell were you?" Jimmy folded his arms over his chest. "I thought you three were inseparable. Where the hell were you?"

Dean didn't know how to answer that one. "I-"

"We heard about what you've been doing with Bray."

"Jimmy!" Daniel elbowed him in the ribs. "Back off."

"Why?" Jimmy wasn't about to listen. "My cousin's laying in a fucking hospital bed. He was put there by the goons controlled by the guy he's been fucking." He saw the look on Dean's face and nodded. "Yeah. Bray practically told all of us." He tried to get in Dean's face but Daniel and Naomi managed to hold him back. "We know you've been fucking him."

"That's enough." AJ tried to stand up and interject herself into the situation but Tamina forced her to sit back down.

"Were you off fucking him while they were getting their asses kicked? Is that the kind of friend you are?"

"I wasn't doing anything!" Dean shook his head angrily. "Bray fucking kidnapped me. I've been kidnapped twice in the past fucking week by a lunatic that don't understand that I don't want to play anymore." He balled his fists up not to strike but to dig his nails into the palm of his own hands. "I didn't want this." He tried to swallow down the lump in his throat. "I didn't want any of this." He tried to look Jimmy in the eyes but he couldn't. He couldn't look at any of them. It was his fault that "

"We believe you." Unbeknownst to Dean, Daniel gave Jimmy a look that promised all kinds of pain if he said anything else. "This isn't your fault."

"I-"

"Dean look at me."

Dean refused. Daniel had to put his hand on the back of his neck and make him look up. The eyes of one of his many long time enemies were sympathetic. Truly sympathetic. "It's not your fault okay? We know it's not. Jimmy's just mad. You can't control what Bray and them do. They're all a bunch of maniacs."

This was true but even knowing that didn't make Dean feel much better. It didn't take away the guilt. He ripped himself out of Daniel's grip and resumed his pacing. Daniel sighed as the others all exchanged looks. Nobody knew what to say so they just let him walk. Time seemed to go even more slowly now. Dean chewed on his lower lip more and more with every step he took. He tasted blood in his mouth but he only swallowed that down. The pain that came with it was okay. He deserved it. He deserved worse but there wasn't a whole lot he could really do in front of everyone.

The sight of the doctor coming towards them made Dean finally stop. "How are they?" Naomi was the one to ask the question first.

The doctor double checked his clipboard before answering. "Mr. Reigns's ribs are pretty bruised as is his back. No concussion or anything broken which is what we wanted to see. Mr. Rollins is still out and we'll have to run a full on test to see if he's got a concussion or not. We got his body stitched up and the glass out of the back of his head." He said more. There was more but Dean couldn't focus enough to listen to it. Roman was basically okay but Seth's status being up in the air worried him. What if Seth had a concussion? With the company being extra careful with head injuries Seth would not only miss the match Sunday but who knew how long he would be kept out of action. This was Seth's dream. His life. And now he could miss time not because of an in ring injury but because of this entire fucked up situation.

"Come on." Daniel grabbed Dean and led him to the room both Seth and Roman were in. Jimmy had made it into the room before them and he was already arguing with Roman, who was trying to get up out of bed.

"You're still supposed to rest man. You can't-"

"I'm not just going to lay here."

"What are you even going to do? Seth's still out and Dean's here. We have him you don't have to go looking for him."

"Where is he?" Roman nearly jumped out of bed at the mere mention of Dean. "Where is he?" He tried to swat Jimmy's hands away as he pushed him back down on the bed.

"Ro?" Dean finally found his voice. He stepped into the room hesitantly, his heart sinking as he caught sight of the still unconscious Seth. He tried not to focus on him. He felt like a coward but he couldn't do it. Not if he was going to maintain some sort of composure.

The relief washed over Roman's face like a tidal wave. He tried to get up again and this time he succeeded despite the efforts of Naomi and Jimmy. Dean saw the very brief grimace of pain that came over his face as he moved but Roman was never the kind to let it show long. "Jesus man." Roman threw his arms around Dean's neck and pulled him into a hug. "I thought they'd still have you." Dean just buried his face in the crook of Roman's neck. He heard someone say they should go and Jimmy protested despite being clearly dragged out. The door shut behind them but Dean still didn't pull out of the embrace. He was safe here. He wasn't used to feeling that way. His whole life he had always lived with an element of danger from somewhere. Whether it be from other people or himself he had never really allowed himself a moment to relax. But now, even with knowing Bray was still out there and surely angry he still found himself relaxing just a little. Roman had him and there was no way the older man would let another for a little while at least.

"What happened?" Roman pulled back just enough to look at Dean's face. "We woke up and you were gone."

Dean looked down in shame. "I just wanted a smoke." He ran his tongue over his bottom lip and got a nice bit of blood with it. "It was just supposed to be a smoke and then they fucking grabbed me." Dean made himself look back up and knew what the next question was going to be before it even could be said. "He said to attack if you woke up. I wanted to scream I did but they would have been on you in a second." His eyes went to Seth and he shook his head. "Guess it didn't matter did it?"

Roman looked back at Seth and Dean saw the concern in his eyes. He adored Seth it was no secret. Dean knew it killed him to see Seth so beat up. "He'll be okay." Roman looked back at Dean. "He's strong." It wasn't clear which one of them he was trying to convince. Dean wanted to believe him. He did. Seth was strong it wasn't like Roman was lying there. It was just hard when he was just laying there in the hospital bed, looking like he wasn't going to be waking up any time soon.

"How did you get away?" Roman's question brought Dean back into their conversation.

"I um...I hit Bray in the head with a lamp." He rubbed the back of his neck. "He's going to kill me." He shuddered at the mere thought. "He's going to fucking kill me."

"No he won't." Roman dragged Dean over to the bed he had been on and sat him down. "Did he...did he um...did he hurt you?"

Dean shook his head. "I got him off me." He took a deep breath. "He's not going to stop. I begged him to let me go. I told him I was a liar and I didn't mean anything I said to him but he still...I think he's actually in love with me." He saw the look on Roman's face and knew the objection was coming. "Yeah he could just be saying that. But he just...I don't know he's not a liar. He's crazy as fuck but he fucking believes what he says. He said this war is about me now and it just...what the fuck am I worth even? You guys can't fight over me." "Don't start this," Roman pleaded. He sat down next to Dean and put his hand on his leg.

"You can't talk like this."

"Why not?" Dean shifted around on the bed uncomfortably. "I'm nothing. I've been gutter trash since the moment I was born. The only time anyone gave a shit about me was to hurt me."

"And that shit's done now."

"Is it?" Dean couldn't stop now that he had gotten started. "Fucking look at me man. My body's been fucked up more than my mom's after she got beat up by one of her fucking boyfriends." Without realizing he was doing he started rubbing chest and shoulder. "She used to have some real nasty boyfriends. They fucking beat her up and pimp her out and leave her all strung out." He chomped down on his lower lip again. He didn't care if he fucked it all up. "Only one of them treated her okay. It was the closest she ever got to being treated like a queen and it made her look the other way every time he beat me up and rape me instead." He didn't look to see the horrified look on Roman's face. He was too lost in a swirl on memories that he had long buried. He didn't really know why he was saying all this. Maybe this was an attempt to push Roman away. Maybe it was the hope he'd stay even after learning such nasty things. Or maybe the certainty that Bray was going to murder him made him want to just get things out in the open. "He wanted to be the one to fucking pop my cherry. He was about three years too late." He rubbed his chest and shoulder harder, unaware of the fact Seth was waking up.

"Who?" Roman managed to ask.

"Fucking drug dealer by our apartment. Used to fucking rob me all the fucking time. One day I didn't have anything he wanted so he dragged me into the alley and just..." Dean motioned around with his hands wildly. "I was fucking twelve. Twelve fucking years old and I fucking swore after that day that it would never happen again." He laughed bitterly. "It did though. Every time I couldn't outrun him he got me until someone finally shot him in a drive by. I didn't get to make it stop. I can't "

"You did protect yourself," Roman interjected. He grabbed Dean's hand and laced their fingers together. "You made Bray stop. You didn't have us. You did that on your own. You're stronger than you even know."

"Yeah man. Listen to him he's good at knowing shit."

Both Dean's and Roman's gazes looked to the bed. Seth was awake though it was unclear just how much he had heard. He reached a hand out, grabbing for Dean.

"I'll get the doctor. " Roman stood up, pulling Dean with him and giving him a gentle nudge towards Seth's bed. "Watch over him." He gave them both a quick kiss before leaving the room.

"Come 'ere." Seth reached out to grab Dean who still hadn't moved since Roman had gotten him up. "Fucker come here."

Dean's lips twitched but he did what he was told. He dropped down to his knees, grabbing Seth's hand and squeezing it as he did so. "How do you feel?"

"I'll live." Seth squeezed Dean's hand in return. "Just promise me you won't get thrown through some glass. Not too fun."

"You don't got to tell me." Dean pet Seth's hair softly. "Can I do something or-"

"Kiss me and promise me no more smoke breaks."

Dean found himself smiling despite it all. Very carefully he leaned forward and placed a soft kiss to Seth's lips. "Promise."

...

Every throb of his head made the cuts on his forehead bleed more but Bray hardly noticed. The throbbing inside his chest was much stronger. He stood in the bathroom, eyes focused on his reflection in the mirror. Dean was gone. He had taken off though not before leaving his mark. Bray had been too physically stunned by the move to immediately give chase and now it wasn't even worth it. He was back with Roman and Seth. They were winning. They had his little lamb and knowing this made his blood boil. Dean was his yet now the bastard was denying him. Was taking his love and tossing it away.

Bray's grip on the sink tightened. Rejection wasn't something he took well. Daniel Bryan had rejected him but this was much worse. This wasn't a blow to his pride but one to his very soul. One that Dean had to pay for. He didn't want to hurt the man but if he was going to be the fool that wouldn't listen then he had to be punished.

_"Do it," Abigail's voice whispered. "Take them down."_

Her voice strengthed his resolve. Letting out a wild yell he brought up his hand and smashed the mirror with his fist. The glass shattered and cut his hand but he felt none of it. There was only the rage. If he couldn't have Dean then he would burn down The Shield-and the entire world with them if he had to.


	20. Chapter 20

The mood inside the arena the day of Elimination Chamber was tense, to say the very least. Everyone knew that Dean and Bray had been a thing now. Few still knew the actual truth but everyone at least knew it happened. Everyone had found about The Wyatts attacking Seth and Roman in their hotel room though where and what Dean was doing varied among people to people. Some said he was made to watch the proceedings. Some said he was of fucking Bray and was oblivious to Harper and Rowan's actions. Some even had the audacity to say Dean had been in on the attack and those had gotten Dean in the foulest of moods. The audacity for them to even talk like that. Sure they didn't know any better but that didn't mean they needed to run their mouths. Seth and Roman told him to ignore it. They were surrounded by idiots it was just best to ignore them. It was easy for them to say though. They weren't the ones getting the stares. The harsh, judgmental stares that asked one question: why? Why had he fucked Bray Wyatt? They all wanted to know but Dean wasn't sharing any of it. They didn't understand. They couldn't understand.

Dean hadn't seen Bray since the incident at the hotel. From what he had heard from others was that he was in a foul mood. Not surprising but it scared him. He wasn't a man to be scared of a lot of things. He had seen a lot of fucked up shit. A lot of fucked up shit had been done to him. But with a lot of people he dealt with he knew what to expect. He knew how far they would go, how bad they would hurt him and more importantly he either knew their weaknesses or knew he could learn them and be able to protect himself. He didn't have that with Bray. All he had was the fear. They couldn't lose tonight. They had to win, had to put Bray and his boys down because god help them if they didn't. He had to be at the top of his game. Even more than that. He had to be better than he ever had before. Seth and Roman needed them. They weren't at one hundred percent so he had to make up for it.

They were all silent as they prepared for the match. Seth was pacing around the room, amping himself up into a complete frenzy. Roman sat on the bench, methodically tying his boots in silence. Dean was leaning against the wall, checking and re-checking his wrist tape. For once he was silent like Roman. Too many things were going through his mind. He was trying to make himself angry. He forced himself to think of every dirty little thing that had been done to him. Not just by Bray but by everyone in his life. He focused on the hatred he felt for being fucked over time and time again. He wanted it to fuel him. His anger was the best weapon he had. It was what got him through his days on the indy scene. It had stayed with him in FCW but he had been letting it subside somewhat since coming to the main roster. He was living the only dream he ever had. Being where he was was the biggest fuck you to anyone in his life who had treated him like trash. He had made something out of himself but now his dream was turning into a walking nightmare. He needed the anger back. He needed to lose himself in it to gain back the control of his life. It didn't feel like it made sense but it did. At least he thought it did. Maybe he had just gone nuts. That was more than likely.

Roman standing up snapped him out of his thoughts. Seth stopped pacing and they all looked at each other. "Are we ready?" Roman asked.

"Yeah," Seth said immediately. "I'm ready."

Dean forced himself to nod. He was actually far from ready but he couldn't voice that now. There was no time.

 

"Okay." Roman nodded and grabbed them both by the shoulders. "Let's do this."

...

The fans were absolutely electric when their music hit. In everything that had been happening Dean hadn't realized just how anticipated this match was. Nobody had been in the hallways with them while the video package played. Everyone was watching. Everyone was waiting. Dean tried to take a breath but it felt like all the air in the arena had been sucked away. His heart was pounding wildly in his chest. Not since his first match had he ever felt his heart going this bad.

Goosebumps covered his whole body as The Wyatts made their entrance. He tried not to look at Bray but he felt the other man looking at him. He felt Seth and Roman put their hands on him, whispering it would all be okay. When the lights came back on the crowd went insane. Ten years in the business and he had never heard this many people go this crazy for a match he had been a part of. And the match hadn't even started yet.

"THIS IS AWESOME! THIS IS AWESOME!"

The Wyatts slowly made their way into the ring. Bray's eyes were focused straight on Dean. Dean began to pace, trying not to show the fear he felt. He had to stay cool. He had to be strong.

"Just stick to the game plan," Seth told him. He turned back to look at Dean, missing the gleam that appeared in Bray's eyes. The pure evil gleam that promised so much trouble.

"Are you an errand boy?" Bray still hadn't looked at anyone but Dean. The question was asked in a sickeningly mocking tone. "Look at how they treat you!" He pointed to Seth and Roman. "Look at how they treat you!"

Roman stiffened at the words.

"Shut up!" Seth snapped. He looked at Dean again. "Don't listen to him.

"CHILD!" Bray screamed. Between Seth and the crowd he had to be scream to be the loudest. "CHILD!"

"Who do you think you're talking to?" Dean asked. He had to make himself speak. He couldn't take this. He had to fight.

"Oh are you a man now?"

"Shut up. Just shut up shut up."

"Then make your move!"" Bray stretched his arms out with the dare. "Make your move!"

"You think I won't?" It was a rhetorical question. Dean knew that Bray didn't think he would. He tried to get in Bray's face but Roman put himself between them. Dean nearly knocked him over but Roman regained his footing and forced Dean back.

"Then do it!" Bray dared him. "You want to be a man? You want to hit me with a lamp? You think you can escape me?" The cameras were picking none of this part up due to the extremely loud Let's go Wyatts/Let's go Shield chants the crowd giving out. "Make your move boy! Fight me!"

Roman and Seth grabbed Dean and tried to force him into the corner before he could be goaded into it. Dean saw the smirk on Bray's face and couldn't take it. He acted like he was cooperating for a second before turning around and rushing across the ring. The Wyatts had been going for their own corner. He got right past Harper and Rowan and jumped on Bray. The moment their bodies connected he was swinging. The others immediately jumped in, initially to separate them but it all broke down into a giant fight. Bray used his weight to send Dean to the ground but Seth was on him in an instant, pouncing his fists against his back wildly. Bray quickly bailed, Rowan and Harper following and the crowd went nuts as The Shield stood tall.

_Oh god oh god oh god_. Dean could barely even manage to think those two words. The noise from the crowd was deafening. The lights shining down on him were too hot. And his heart was beating so hard it actually made his chest hurt. His feet were moving, moving him all around the ring as he watched the Wyatts regroup on the outside. His palms were sweating profusely. It felt like he was going to die. Right here in front of everyone he was just going to die.

"Sssshhhh come here." Seth forced him back into the corner. "Calm down." He rubbed Dean's head while Roman stood by them protectively. "I'm gonna start it okay? Just calm down."

Dean did his best to listen. He really did. He looked over Seth's shoulder and saw The Wyatts getting back in the ring. Rowan was starting for them. Seth nudged Dean out of the ring. Roman followed suit so Seth could start for them. Dean didn't know how wise that was given that Seth had taken the worst of the beating in the hotel room but Roman seemed to have faith in him so he tried to do the same.

Everything was a blur for Dean. Seth moved fast but took a nasty bump early on when Rowan collided with him. Harper and Bray beat on him until he managed to get away and tag in Roman. He fared better in shot for shot warfare with Bray. Every blow they landed on each other rocked their heads back and Dean winced each time. Bray finally managed to drop Roman to his knees and in came Harper. Roman managed to overpower him during a suplex and he brought the bearded man to their corner. His hand immediately went to tag Seth in but suddenly stopped.

"Dean?"

"Let me in." It wasn't Bray so Dean knew for sure he could do this.

Roman let him in and Dean fired away with rights and lefts. The ref pulled him off and Harper tried to get away. Dean was back on him in an instant, Seth assisting by pulling on the back of his dirty white tank top. This was what they had to do. Working as a cohesive unit was what brought them to the dance. It was what made them better than everyone else. And it was working. It was working until Dean allowed himself to be distracted by Rowan and he went for him. He went after him and Rowan jumped down. He should have known better and he paid for his mistake. Harper hit him with a dropkick that left him stunned-not only from the force of it but the shock of a man his size doing a mother fucking dropkick.

Harper tagged Bray in and Dean felt himself go weak. For once Bray was silent. He just unleashed a flurry of shots, straddling Dean's chest and practically shoving his groin in his face as he rained down blows. Dean couldn't even protect himself.

"Come on little lamb," Bray said as he pulled him to his feet. "I thought you wanted to fight."

Dean had no time to respond. He was being shoved back into the corner and hit some more. Bray went across the ring and he was being screamed at to move. His legs didn't obey the order. He could barely stand and was punished by Bray crashing into him at full force. He fell to the mat, head spinning and unable to even breathe. Bray tagged Rowan back in, who helpfully added to his breathing problems by not only body slamming him but dropping a knee down on his stomach.

"Come on Dean!" Seth was going nuts on the ring apron. "Come on you can do this!"

Rowan grinded his knuckles against Dean's head, squeezing for a submission. Dean managed to turn his head and bite down on his neck. He shot himself off the ropes for an attack but it all got lost with a hard side slam. In came Harper again. Harper who threatened to kill him. Harper, who was enjoying this entirely too much. Fuck this. Fuck him. He managed to hit a neckbreaker and grounded the larger man long enough to tag in Seth.

Seth came in with an absolute fury. Dean tried to watch but could only focus on regaining his breath for the first few moments. He got himself standing up in time to see Harper try to German suplex Seth off the top rope. He nearly had a heart attack and he heard Roman scream. Seth though, the amazing bastard he was, landed on his feet. Both Dean's and Roman's jaws dropped in shocked. Seth didn't waste any time, knocking Harper over the top rope and down to the floor. Suicide dive followed and then a knee to the head from the tope rope once he got Harper back in the ring.

"Jesus fuck," Dean muttered under his breath.

"I know," Roman agreed. He was positively beaming.

Seth went for the Blackout but Harper moved. Seth tried to rebound but Harper caught him, sending him crashing to the mat with a spinning slam. Harper went for the cover and Roman tried to go in to break up the cover. Seth kicked out on his own but he was still in trouble. Bray came back in and pulled Set out of the ring. He slammed the smaller man into the barricade before laying him on the floor and hitting a running splash. Roman jumped off the apron and started going around the ring. Dean, not taking it any better, walked across the apron and got up on the turnbuckles despite the referee trying to pull him down.

"Why don't you bring that crap over here?" he yelled angrily. There was more bravery in the words than he actually felt. He just wanted Bray away from Seth. He couldn't let him take this punishment.

Bray just smirked and the match turned into the systematic destruction of Seth. The Wyatts all took their turn, making sure Dean and Roman could do nothing but watch anxiously.

"WE WANT TABLES! WE WANT TABLES!" The fans were loving the entire spectacle.

"TAG ME IN" Bray screamed at Harper. "TAG ME IN!"

Dean scowled. He hated Bray right then. Hated the joy he seemed to take as he beat down on Seth. "COME ON SETH!" If everyone else was going to scream then he could do it too. "COME ON SETH!"

Seth tried to heed Dean's words. He started to fight back but Bray catching him coming off the top rope and throwing him to the ground violently halted his momentum. Bray went for the cover but Dean broke it up. He didn't even think about doing it. Instinctively he just went in there and the next thing he knew he was getting hit by a huge boot from Harper. The force of the kick sent him rolling out of the room. Literal stars danced in front of his eyes. It was a few minutes before he regained his bearings. When he managed to look into the ring Roman was in there now. Big strong Roman. Tearing through everyone like a bat out of hell. Dean almost smiled but his happiness turned to panic when Bray broke up the pin. No. He couldn't keep letting this happen. He couldn't keep letting Bray interrupt. He forced himself to his feet and got back into the ring. Once again his thought process was nonexistent. He just threw himself on to Bray, giving out what was probably the ugliest looking Thez press known to man. It worked though. Bray went down and Dean fired off desperate shots, not even realizing he was actually growling like an animal.

Harper's hands grabbed him. The fucker just wouldn't stay off him. Dean managed to send him back with a shot and dropkicked Bray off the apron and down to the floor. He rolled out of the ring after him, not wanting him near Seth and Roman again if he could help it.

"You just can't keep your hands off me can you little lamb?"

Dean nearly threw up at the words. "Shut-" He saw something moving out of the corner of his eye but there was no time to move. Harper came flying at him with suicide dive. Bray moved out of the way, leaving Dean to take all of it. Dean felt the breath go out of him as he hit the barricade. Harper didn't get a chance to do anything else to him though. Seth came flying over the top rope, taking him out with a violent landing. Dean wanted to say something but he had no air to do so. So he just tried to keep tabs of everything that was going on. Roman and Rowan were still going at in the ring while Seth and Harper went to the announce tables. Seth started tearing apart the tables, earning a massive roar of approval from the crowd. Bray blinded him before he could enact whatever plan he had in mind. Bray started directing traffic, grabbing Seth to set him up for a powerbomb through a table by Harper.

"No!" Dean leapt into action. He blasted past Bray and hit Harper before turning right back into Bray. He threw punches as hard as he could, Bray responding in kind. Their fight took them over the barricade and through the crowd without him immediately realizing it. He wasn't in a rush to to put the fight back in the ring though. Seth and Roman could hopefully handle Harper and Rowan. He had the real danger here.

"ENOUGH!" Bray shoved him through the curtain that lead back to the concession hallway. Dean went down to his hands and knees and tried to scramble up to his feet. "I SAID ENOUGH!" Bray kicked him in the ribs and sent him crashing back down to the floor. "We end this."

Dean didn't like the way he said that. There was a sense of finality to his tone that made his blood run cold. He tried to get back up, tried to fight but Bray knocked him back down once more. From the shadows came figures. The other men from the compound had surrounded him. Hands grabbed him from all sides, locking in his wrists and hands so he couldn't kick or hit. "HELP!" He looked around desperately. Where they were was somehow void of anyone but a Wyatt family member. "HELP SOMEONE HELP ME!"

"I don't want to do this again." Bray shoved a chloroform filled rag over his nose and mouth. "Kidnapping has become overused in this stage of our relationship." His eyes narrowed and he pressed the rag more firmly against Dean's face. "It's the last time though." The way he was talking was absolutely terrifying. He almost sounded sad. Apologetic even. But not apologetic enough to stop. Not sad enough to hide his fury, which was shining through his eyes more than ever. "I promise you no more. We end this tonight darlin."

Dean tried to jerk his head away from the rag but only got it shoved halfway down his throat instead. Hands held him more tightly, preventing him from going anywhere. The world was starting to spin. He couldn't breathe. He was losing the fight. Losing consciousness. He tried to will it not to happen but it was all in vain. The last thing he heard before he passed out was Bray's laughter and the last thing he felt was a gentle kiss to his forehead.

 


	21. Chapter 21

The end of the match was a bonafide disaster. Dean disappeared into the crowd with Bray and never came back. Seth got driven through one of the announce tables by Rowan and Harper, leaving Roman to be surrounded by all three Wyatts. He tried to fight them all off but it had been to no avail. The numbers game had been too much for him. he had fallen to the Sister Abigail but losing the match was the least of his problems. Seth was in the trainer's room getting checked on and Roman had begged Jimmy and Jey to stay and watch over him while he tried to look for Dean. Dean's stuff was still in their locker room but he was nowhere to be found. Panic was setting in. Bray had disappeared as well and Roman just knew the bastard had taken Dean again. There was no way he didn't have him. Even in putting up the best fight they could they had fallen right down to the Wyatts trap again. It was fucking maddening.

"Have you seen Dean?" Over and over again he asked this question but nobody could give him an answer. He didn't get it. Everyone was usually so nosy and looking to pick up on each other's business yet now he couldn't find a single person that had seen Dean. It didn't make sense to him. It really didn't. "Fucking god damn it," he muttered under his breath. He didn't know what to do. After all the looking he had done he was fairly certain Dean was no longer in the arena itself. But where could Bray have taken him? Bray had come back to finish the match which meant he couldn't have taken Dean far. Not unless he had help besides Rowan and Harper. That was a rather frightening thought. Bray did have the means. Roman had seen it for himself. The how of the matter though wasn't what truly mattered. Roman still had to figure out where Bray could have taken him. For obvious reasons it wouldn't be the compound unless Bray planned on not showing up to Raw tomorrow. But there was no telling what hotel he could have gone to. Or if he had even gone to a hotel. Maybe there was an evil lair. Bray was legitimately evil so he could easily have an evil lair.

Roman didn't want to do it but he finally had to hang his head in shame and return to the trainer's room. Seth was still being looked over though it was taking both Jimmy and Jey to help the doctor keep him on the table so the evaluation could be complete. A hopeful look came over Seth's face when Roman opened the door but it fell once he realized he was alone. "I'm sorry." Roman couldn't help but apologize. Rationally speaking he knew it wasn't his fault but he still felt like it was. To the world he was the group's powerhouse and in reality he was the protector. It was a role he had fallen into since day one. Yet now he had failed when he was needed the most. Seth was hurt and god only knew what was happening to Dean. "I looked everywhere but he's not here." He swallowed hard and hung his head. He couldn't even bear to make eye contact with anyone. "I don't know what to do. He's just gone he's just fucking gone."

Nobody said anything. The doctor looked confused, Jimmy and Jey looked uncomfortable and Seth looked like he was about to be sick. Roman was right there with him. His mind raced for something they could do but there was nothing. He was at a loss. God please let Dean be alright. _Please please please let him be okay._

...

It was freezing cold in the warehouse. The building had been standing empty for who knew how long until Bray and his family had found earlier that day. Lanterns had to be set up everywhere because the place lacked electricity. The darkness though felt appropriate. As did the cold. It was just so fitting that if Bray was in a better mood he would make some poetic statement about it. He wasn't though. Instead he just sat in his rocking chair, his eyes not leaving Dean for a second. A large metal hook hung from the ceiling in the middle of the room and after tying his wrists his family had hung him up on it. Blue orbs shone with fear but the gag in his mouth only allowed him to take shallow breaths through his nose. His feet dangled above the floor but he wasn't trying to kick his way free. The collateral damage from the match had left him in a fair amount of pain. Bray could see the growing discomfort and he heard the little pained whimpers. And they pleased him, though not in the way he was actually looking to be pleased.

"It didn't have to be this way you know."

Dean just stared at him with wide eyes. He tried to slip his wrists free from the rope but he barely got them to budge. He was tied up much too tightly for any kind of escape.

"I gave you my love on a silver platter." The chair creaked as Bray began to rock it. He gripped each arm of it tightly, eyes blazing with a fury he hadn't felt in a long time. "I don't just hand it out to anyone. The heart is a delicate thing after all. Offer it out too much and it will get trampled on. Don't offer it out enough and it will grow hard and cold from not being used." He rocked a little faster. "You gave yourself to me. You told me you were mine. And I believed you." He let out a low chuckle. "I really did." He stopped rocking and leaned forward, letting his elbows rest against his knees. "Abigail presented you to me and you were everything she promised you to be. So dark and twisted from this world. Just like me. You came from nothing and you were supposed to stay as nothing, just like me. She saw something in you and I did too." He tilted his head slightly to the right. "All you had to do was accept it. Truly accept it." He chuckled bitterly. "You couldn't even do that right could you? Noooo of course not. You only know how to fuck everything up."

Dean stiffened at the words but Bray didn't care. He just stood up and began slowly circle the bound man. "Do you think I can just let you go? Knowing what we had? Knowing that you're going to crawl into be with them every night and they won't appreciate just what it is that you are." He got close enough so that when he reached out his fingertips were just barely touching Dean. He was still wearing his gear from the match. Bray had almost had him stripped completely but had changed his mind at the last moment. A naked Dean was a distracting Dean. "No. You can't ask me to do that." He came to a stop behind Dean and stepped up to him, pressing himself against him and letting his chin rest on his shoulder. "It's not in my power to just forget." He wrapped his arms around Dean and squeezed him tightly. "You're such a selfish creature. It's always just think about yourself. What I've done to you. What are seth and Roman going to think of you. So absorbed in your own little self hating war that you never realized just how much you affected me in all this." His grip on Dean tightened and he let a sadistic smirk cross his lips as he heard the muffled whimper of pain. "I'm just as sick as you are in all this. You're all I think about day and night. You're seared into my mind. In my blood. In my soul." He let go of Dean and walked around back in front of him. The look on Dean's face was as fearful as ever. "How do you think I feel having you reject me now? After you gave yourself so willingly to me. You think you can just take it away? How would you feel if you were in my place?" He reached forward and ripped the gag out of Dean's mouth. "Tell me. Tell me right now."

"Bray please-"

Those weren't the words Bray had been looking for. Without hesitation he reared back and punched Dean right in the mouth. Dean's lip busted open on impact and his cry of pain echoed through the large room. Bray liked that. He liked that so much he followed the blow with two more, these ones to Dean's damaged ribs. "You wouldn't like it any better than I would." If he wasn't going to answer the question then Bray would do it for him. "You would hate me if I did it to you. But you would hate yourself more because you would wonder what you did wrong." He pointed back and forth between the two of them. "That's the biggest difference between you and me darlin. I don't hate myself. I don't wallow in those feelings because I'm not the problem here." He leaned forward so he was right in Dean's face. "You've been a problem your whole life. And I can't stand the thought of you being my problem when you're not going to be mine."

Dean visibly gulped. "I-"

"I wanted to gut them where they stood tonight." The confession was a punch in its own right. "I still do."

"No." Dean shook his head wildly. "Don't you hurt them don't fucking touch them."

"Why not?" Bray's hands found Dean's shirt and he ripped it open and then completely off him with a few, good hard tugs. Goosebumps immediately overtook Dean's skin. He tried to hide his shivers but Bray saw them. He saw everything there was no point in hiding. "They took you away. They took what's mine and poisoned it." He traced his fingers across the various cuts on Dean's skin. "All I see is them touching you." He dug his nail into one of the nastier cuts and Dean let out a choked gasp. "Do they fuck you as good as I do?" The question was crude and tasted like acid in his mouth. "Do you have to pretend it's me? Or are you just a big old whore like your mother and love anything you get?"

"Fuck you." Despite the precarious situation he was in Dean still gave him a defiant glare for that comment. He tried to get himself free again. "Fuck you let me go."

"No."

"Why?" The defiance was fading in favor of the fear. "What the fuck do you want out of me? You can't keep me like this forever." He didn't sound as nearly as sure about that as he wanted to be.

"I could. But I won't. We're done playing."

"I wasn't playing to begin with! Fucking christ Bray! You're being fucking psychotic!"

"You would know all about that wouldn't you little lamb?" Bray retreated back into the shadows to get his special surprise. Harper had tried to question him on it but Bray had put him in his place. It wasn't for anyone else to know. If they knew even they would have tried to stop him. "The question is, has my lunacy come from my love or your rejection? Or was it both? Could we have avoided all this if you had chose not to be so selfish? or were we destined for this? Maybe no matter what we were supposed to end up like this."

"What the fuck are you even talking about?"

"I only wish your little friends could be here to watch. I could just imagine how their faces would look." Bray stepped back out of the shadows with his gas can in hand. He saw the fear turn into sheer terror. This was it. This was the final solution. It was drastic and violent but it was the only thing that felt appropriate. The first rejection in his life had been answered with fire and this one needed to be answered with the same. His father had rejected his love and Dean had now done the same. This was worse though. Dean had given himself over to him and then pulled back. Gave him what he wanted and then acted like he could just take it away. No. Nobody took from him and got away with it. He wouldn't allow it. The fire was the only solution. It was his friend. It could destroy and allow for rebuilding or destroy and leave everything totally cleansed. The latter was what Bray wanted. He wasn't looking to rebuild. Dean was making him weak. He was hurting like a man when he was much more than that. He had to get rid of the weakness. He had to stop the pain.

"Wait wait wait no no no..." Dean's struggles to get free renewed in earnest. Eyes nearly bulged out of his head. "Bray--"

"It's the only way." Bray took the cap off the can and tossed it aside. It bounced off the floor twice before rolling somewhere into the darkness. "You can scream." It was safe to make the offer. Nobody would hear him. It wouldn't be until someone noticed the smoke that anyone would do anything. And then it would be too late. "Your screams are beautiful. They always have been."

Dean shook his head. "Bray you can't do this. You can't do this you'll go to jail. You'll go to jail. What's going to happen to your family if you go to jail?"

Bray ignored the words and started slowly pouring some of the gas on the floor around Dean. The bound man didn't care about his family. They both knew that. He just didn't want Bray to follow through with his plan. He wanted Bray to lack conviction, much like he did.

"What about Isabella? I know she's your baby. They'll take you away from her do you want that?"

"She's none of your concern."

"But-" Dean gasped Bray began to pour the gas directly on him. On on his bare chest, over his legs, right on top of his head and even right into his face which made him cough and choke wildly. The fumes were making Bray's head spin. They filled his lungs and for a moment he couldn't even breathe. Just striking one of the matches he had in his pocket would start a fiery blaze. One he wasn't sure that he could get away from in time before it took him too. He found that thought didn't scare him in the very least. He wasn't afraid of the fire. He wasn't afraid to die. Dean was though. He was actually shaking from it. But with his choking subsiding he had just fallen silent. There was no begging. No more attempts at reason. Certainly no screaming. He wasn't a total idiot he knew a lost cause. Bray wasn't going to listen to his words. There was no Seth or Roman to save him. There was only a messy horrific end that he had been destined for since he was born. There was nothing more left than to accept it.

Bray pulled the matches out of his pocket. The silence hung heavily between them. This was it. All Bray had to do was strike a match. Strike the match and it would all burn away. He could cleanse them both. Rid them of their weaknesses and save them both. He started to do it. He opened the book of matches and Dean squeezed his eyes shut tightly. The trembling increased but he still didn't scream or beg. Bray took out a single match and held it up. He had pictured doing this the whole week. He had justified it and now he just had to do it. It was an act of freedom. One that would make Dean scream as his flesh was burned. The fire would eat him alive, leaving him unrecognizable. The smell of his burning flesh would be sickening. The screams would be unlike anything. Bray could hear them now. Dean wasn't screaming but Bray could just imagine it and suddenly he felt sick. He felt so sick and he didn't understand why. This was the way it had to be the way. He couldn't back down now. He couldn't be weak. Abigail taught him strength. He had to be strong there was no room for weakness.

Every moment that went by he swore that he would do it in the next one. But he didn't. He couldn't. He was weak. Pathetic. He didn't want to be that way. He wanted the strength, the resolve he just had. But apparently he had found a line even he couldn't cross. His heart wouldn't let him go through with it, even as his mind screamed for it. Love. This was the stuff love could do. It was why it was the most dangerous emotion to feel. People thought it was hate but hate didn't make one weak as love did. Love was what made him lift Dean up and slip him off from the hook. Frustration though at least allowed him to keep Dean's hands bound as he threw him to the ground. "Look at what you've done to me."

Dean opened his eyes. The confusion was written plain as day on his face. "Wh-"

"LOOK AT WHAT YOU'VE DONE TO ME!" Bray delivered a swift kick to Dean's ribs. And then another. And another. Over and over again, not stopping until he heard something crack and Dean finally screamed. Bray stopped the next kick midway through and just stared down at what he done. Dean had curled into the fetal position, blood pouring out from his mouth. The kicks had been much harder than previously thought. His body was still shaking but he didn't try to get away as Bray dropped down to his knees next to him. Whether it was because he physically couldn't or was just too scared to try Bray didn't know. He didn't care. He just scooped Dean into his arms and buried his face into his neck. "Fucking look at what you did."

"Bray..."

Bray didn't wait to hear any more. He couldn't listen. He couldn't think. His mind told him to wrap his hands around Dean's throat and just squeeze the life out of him but his hands didn't obey. Instead they grabbed the side of Dean's head and kissed him. Dean groaned but he didn't try to push him away. He returned the kiss and it probably wasn't out of anything but fear of pissing him off and actually then getting set on fire as a result but Bray couldn't give less of a rat's ass even if he tried. Reason didn't matter anymore. There was no room for it. Logical thought was out the window and all that mattered was right in his hands. He tasted like gasoline and blood and fear and he was fucking perfect. It was all just fucking perfect.

...

Dean felt like he was going to pass out. The pain in his ribs was excruciating. It mixed with the pain in his shoulders and with the pain in his chest because that was how hard his heart was pounding. The fact that he had almost been set on fire was something he was desperately trying to forget already. He had gone through a few near death experiences in his day. It was impossible not to where he grew up. But this was different. This had been a fucked up crime of passion of play and so deliberate and evil. And he had been going to let Bray do it. There had been no choice. He had been helpless. No screaming would have done him any good. He didn't need to know where this place was to know Bray had taken great care in choosing it. Begging wouldn't have worked. Reasoning had gone nowhere. So he had just closed his eyes and tried not to think of how much it was going to hurt .

It had taken him surprise when Bray hadn't done it. When Bray Wyatt wanted to do something he did it. Yet he couldn't go through with killing him. He could manipulate him, kick the shit out of him, rape him, hurt his friends and do other fucked up shit to him yet there was still a limit. Just enough to spare him for now. And now he was on the floor, being kissed and groped and told that this was all his fault. He didn't dare argue. No. As much as he hated his own existence, dying in the manner Bray had just tried to go through with wasn't what he wanted to happen.

His lips responded to Bray's, a low moan escaping from his throat. Fear and adrenaline and guilt and just fucking everything had mixed together and made a mess of him. Bray's hands were ripping at his jeans and his hands moved to get rid of Bray's clothing. He wasn't going to fight. He couldn't fight. One wrong move and he knew he would be finished. He would die in a horrific blaze. The last thing he would feel was his own agony. The last thing he would smell was his own burning flesh. the last thing he would hear was his own screams. He couldn't have that. He would take Bray's kiss over that, so rough and demanding. He would take the smell of the gasoline which was really starting to make him feel light-headed and sick to his stomach. He would take Bray's cruel words and his own mumble apologies that he didn't even know if he meant or not. He wasn't sorting out his thoughts now. He had no mental capacity for that kind of self-reflection. The most he could manage was knowing he would hate himself later for all of this but that's it.

Despite knowing it was going to happen Dean still screamed as Bray thrusted inside of him. He felt himself tear and bleed and the only thing that did was make Bray pull almost all the way out before shoving himself back in even harder than before. Dean's body rocked with the thrusts and he clung to Bray for dear life. Nails dug into the larger man's skin, leaving angry red marks behind. Bray wasn't talking like he usually did. He was too lost in this whole fucked up mess to do much more than repeat the mantra he had been on since putting him on the ground. Look at what he did. Look at what he did to the big bad Bray Wyatt. And look what Bray had done to him. It was a mess. They were both a mess. They were both sick. They both needed help. They needed to stop this but maybe it was already too late. Maybe they were already condemned to do this until they killed each other and maybe even then it would continue on down in hell. It wasn't a comforting thought but it felt like the truth.

Bray changed the angle of his thrusts ever so slightly and Dean soon saw stars as every powerful thrust hit his prostate. Bray, for all his fucked up qualities certainly knew his body better than anyone else. He knew just how to touch him and make his skin crawl for more. He knew just how to fuck him so even when the lines of consent were blurred or broken his body still begged for more. "Oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck." He dug his nails deeper into Bray's skin, earning a growl and his hands being held down above his head. The thrusts were faster now. Harder than before. So hard and fast that he was sure he was ripping and tearing all over again. He was nearly crying from the pain and nearly screaming from the pleasure-which in turn made him want to cry and scream because that was just falling down further in this hell hole of a situation.

His eyes practically rolled into the back of his head as he came. His body jerked violently with it and he was screaming something. Maybe it was a curse word or Bray's name. He didn't know. He didn't care. It just consumed him just like the fire would have done and it felt so good he felt himself black out. When he came back to his body was weak. His bones felt like they had been replaced with jelly. Bray had collapsed completely down on him, his face buried back in his neck. The only sound in the room was their harsh breaths. Dean's mind tried to force itself to come up with an escape plan. He had to get away from Bray. Get back to Seth and Roman. There was no going anywhere though. Even as he tried to think of a way he knew it was all in vain. Bray wasn't letting him go. He was too crazed, too dangerous to fight. Dean wasn't about to push what luck he could possibly have. For tonight at least, they were at a point of no return. He was Bray's once again.


	22. Chapter 22

The drive to Green Bay felt like it lasted forever. Four and a half hours of being stuck in a car with Bray and they didn't talk the entire time. Dean sure as hell didn't know what to say after everything that happened. Bray was silent for whatever reason. Dean didn't want to speculate on what was going on in his head. That was a lethal can of worms he wanted to stay away from. So he just sat there, shivering despite Bray cranking the heat up for him. His shirt had been ruined so he was now sporting Bray's Hawaiian shirt instead. Not what he wanted by any means but he still didn't feel safe to argue. His mind had shut down on him after everything that had happened tonight. He couldn't think about what had happened back at the warehouse. He couldn't think about what Bray could do next. He couldn't think about Seth and Roman and what they would say or do if Bray told them about tonight. Dean didn't think he had it in him to tell them. As of now he felt like he would actually break down if he spoke of it. He knew he needed to. Rationally speaking he knew he needed to tell them. He needed the help. He couldn't handle this on his own. This was way out of control. But even if he told them what could they do? Their interference so far hadn't stopped anything. They had gotten him out of the compound and the love they were showing made him want to hang on to them but they had only made Bray angrier. Them getting involved had only unhinged Bray and they had all suffered for it. First Roman and Seth with the attack at the hotel and now him. It just didn't end.

Exhaustion eventually took over and Dean let himself pass out. He had no idea how long he was out. When he woke up it was to Bray lowering him into a hot bath in a hotel room. His mind was clouded with confusion. How had they gotten a room? What time was it? How had he not felt Bray taking his clothes off? Had he done anything to him when he had been asleep? He whimpered and tried to fight out of Bray's grip. "N-no no no no..."

"Relax." Bray set him down into the water, which was almost way too hot to the touch. "Let me take care of you."

Dean let out a shaky breath. A bath was entirely necessarily he couldn't deny that. It felt like the gasoline had soaked into his skin and he just wanted it off him. He tried to say he could do it himself but the words died in his throat. Instead he just pulled his knees up to his chest and kept his eyes straight ahead. Bray washed him off gently with a wet cloth. He was singing now. Singing so softly that at first Dean didn't even understand the words. It wasn't until Bray snagged the shampoo to wash his hair that he could actually hear just what song was passing through his lips.

"He's got the whole world in his hands." He forced Dean to dip back so he could wet his hair. "He's got the whole world in his hands." He shook his head as Dean stiffened but didn't stop singing. "He's got the whole world in his hands." He sat Dean back up and opened the shampoo. "He's got the itty bitty baby in his hands."

"No Rolling Stones?"

Bray stopped and smirked. "I could change the song if you like."

Dean shook his head. He didn't like the other song any better. He didn't like the singing at all. It wasn't bad by any stretch of the imagination. Bray had a good voice. The problem was that it was just so completely soothing. He had a soothing voice and Dean hated him for it. It wanted to lure him in, tie him up in a warm cocoon and leave him for the spider to bite.

The singing started again, the same song as before. Dean tried to ignore it. He tried to just ignore it and go back to focusing on the wall. But the singing and the feeling of Bray's fingers massaging into his scalp ever so gently lulled him into a slow relaxation. His mind told him to stay on guard. That it wasn't safe but it was too hard to fight. He closed his eyes. He just wanted to rest. To have the calm be a true break and not just the calm before the next storm. Didn't he deserve that? He knew his place in the world but just a little rest was all he asked for. Why couldn't he just have it? It wasn't fair.

"Lean back little lamb." Bray forced him back so he could rinse his hair. An overwhelming surge of panic suddenly filled Dean's chest. The belief that Bray would push him completely under and hold him there consumed him. The large hands would hold him there and drown him. But they didn't. Bray merely washed the shampoo out of his hair and sat him back up. "There we go. That's a good darlin." Bray's eyes were tender and his touch soft. Dean could have questioned his motives all night but he didn't have the energy. He was just so exhausted. Physically, emotionally and mentally...any way that he could possibly be done he was. Bray seemed to know that. He lifted Dean out of the tub and dried him off. He put his pants back on but left off Bray's shirt. He tried to go to the bed closest to the door and tried to silently communicate that he wanted to sleep alone. The message was either missed or ignored. The latter was more likely. Bray snagged Dean by the waist and pulled him on to the bed he wanted to be on. Dean tried to slap his hands away but to no avail. Bray sat himself on the bed, back fully pressed against the headboard with Dean on his lap. He rested his chin against the dirty blond's right shoulder and locked his arms in a complete vice grip around his torso.

"Fucking shit Bray." Dean gave up on his brief struggles and sighed. "What do you want from me?" He swallowed hard and let his head rest against Bray's left shoulder. Bray's beard tickled his cheek and he sighed as he got a little kiss. "That's not an answer."

"It's the only answer darlin. You know what I want. You know how I feel." Bray kissed his cheek again, his lips lingering longer than before. "You know what I need."

"What about what I need?"

"I can give you everything you need. I'm the one that loves you I-"

"They love me." Dean had no idea where he got the sudden surge of courage to argue from. It didn't feel like it would last long but he had to try. He at least owed Seth and Roman that. "They love me they do."

"They're lying to you. Just because they say it doesn't mean they mean it."

"Someone can say the same about you." The words just flew out of Dean's mouth. Almost immediately he froze, horrified that he had actually said that. Sure it was true but there was luck that didn't need to be pushed at the moment. He braced himself for the retaliation. He took a chance in glancing back at Bray and there was a moment where he thought he was going to get it. A hand went over his throat but didn't squeeze like he thought it would. It just rested there while Bray glared at him.

"Why do you insist on hurting me like that darlin?" Bray moved the hand off his throat and moved it up to pet his head instead. "These wounds are starting to run deep."

"What about mine?" Dean tried to push himself up but Bray held on to him tightly. "What about my fucking wounds? You don't think you're completely fucking me up here?"

"You were already completely fucked up darlin." "So you fucking add to it?" "It's not my fault you want to make this difficult."

"So this is all my fault? You don't accept any responsibility in fucking anything here? That's not fucking fair."

"I told you before that I offered my love to you on a silver platter." Bray's hand went back to Dean's throat. This time he did put on some pressure. It wasn't a whole lot but it was there. "It still is. You know I would love you until the end of time."

"Would it be that long?" Dean couldn't look Bray in the eyes as he asked this. "You...you just...you were gonna..."

"But I didn't. Isn't that what's important here?"

"But you were gonna! You were gonna fucking kill me!"

"I would have gone with you. That fire would have moved faster than I could have."

"Bray come on." Dean tried to turn himself around so he could try and make himself face the other man. "This is sick. Even for people like us this is sick. You can't think this is good for either of us."

"It is what it is little lamb." Dean's words either fell on deaf ears or Bray really just didn't care. It was hard to tell which it was. Dean wasn't sure he wanted to find out. "Love isn't always this safe thing. It can be dangerous. It can burn you and consume you until there's nothing left. But sometimes that's the way it needs to be. That's the only way it can be. You aren't the type that can just go play house with your boys forever. They can't connect to your darkness the way I can. They just want to bury it, to put you in a little box and keep you there. They only wanted you again after they realized I had you. If you and I never got together do you think you would be with them right now?" Bray grabbed Dean's chin and held it tight so he couldn't begin to look away. "Be honest with yourself. You wouldn't be in their room right now with them anyway if I wasn't in the picture. Maybe they do care about you but why did it need me to bring it out of them? Why couldn't they show you before? Seth used to be in your bed all the time. We all know that. Yet the moment he could do it he went to the tall, dark and handsome, who only saw you as a nuisance until he realized he could play the knight in shining armor."

Dean hated the words. He really did. But he didn't know how to fight them. The problem was Bray did have a point. He had been alienated from Seth and Roman until they found out about Bray. He did believe they loved him but he couldn't lie to himself and deny that they had seemed happier when it was just the two of them before everything with and Bray had turned ugly. He had even been seeing it before his relationship with Bray had started. If Bray wasn't in the picture he doubted he would be with them right now. He would probably be with some trick he picked up from a bar or just completely alone. But that didn't matter because Bray had happened. This entire mess of a situation had happened. And they had cared when they found out. They came to get him. They wanted to protect him. They could have just left him to rot. It would have been easy. They still had each other. They could have just forgotten all about him like everyone else had but they didn't. They hadn't done it. When the chips had been down they chose to come for him. They could be better now. The three of them were better they just had to get rid of Bray and it would be perfect.

_But what if it's not?_ A terrible little voice popped into his head. _What if they forget about you again? They're so perfect for each other and then there's you? Where do you fit in besides being trouble? They don't want to look after you. Bray does._

No. No he couldn't entertain that. Bray didn't want him for him. Bray wanted to break him and turn him into his powerless and dependent little lamb. And there was an appeal to it. The knowing that Bray would always be there. Dean did believe it when he said that. He was crazy and delusional but he wasn't a liar. He meant what he said. He saw his words as not only the truth but the only truth. But he was just so dangerous. Dean was tired of danger. He wanted the light. He wanted security and love that didn't chew all the parties up and spit them out into monsters. Maybe that was asking for too much but he just wanted it so bad he could scream.

The exhaustion started to hit him full force again. He couldn't keep thinking. His brain felt like it was turning to putty. He just wanted to sleep. He felt his head start to fall and his eyes droop. Bray was saying something to him but for the life of him he couldn't figure out what. It didn't matter. A long sigh escaped his lips and his head fell back on to Bray's chest. He felt the other man chuckle but he didn't see him smile or the little glint that was now in his eyes. There was a plan being formulated right then and there but he missed it all. His eyes just closed on him and he fell into a deep and dreamless sleep.


	23. Chapter 23

The sound of Seth's phone ringing jarred him out of his forced slumber. Roman had slipped a sleeping pill in his drink when he hadn't been looking. For a moment he didn't realize where they were. Then it clicked in his brain that they had to be in a hotel in Green Bay. Roman had been saying there was no point in staying in Minneapolis. Bray would have been on the move with Dean and their best hope would be that he would at least bring him to Raw so they could reclaim him. If not it would be back to the compound to search and neither one of them wanted it to come to that. They had barely gotten out of there the first time. Something told them both they wouldn't get so lucky again.

The phone rang again and Seth forced himself to sit up. He could hear Roman in the shower so that left only him to answer the call. "Hello?"

"Hello pretty boy."

Seth froze. That Southern drawl could only belong to one man. "Where is he?"

"Who?"

"Dean you fucking son of a bitch!"

Bray laughed. The bastard actually laughed and Seth wanted to kill him. He wanted to reach through his phone, pull Bray through to his side and murder him with his bare hands.

"This isn't fucking funny. Where the fuck is Dean?"

"Dean's safe here with me." Seth could practically hear Bray's smirk. "If I knew how to operate this fancy cell phone I bought I'd send you a picture. He's beautiful when he sleeps."

Seth's grip tightened on his phone. He was going to end up breaking it if he wasn't careful. "Give him back. Fucking give him back he's not-" His eyes widened as Bray just hung up on. "Son of a bitch!" In his anger he threw his phone across the room. "Fuck!"

"Babe?" Roman stepped out of the bathroom soaked and naked, with not even a towel around his waist. He came out to Seth fuming and he frowned. "What is it?"

"Wyatt. Fucker just called to gloat." Seth got up and headed for his bags. He wasn't even going to change out of the clothes he had been wearing last night. He didn't care. All he could focus on was the pure hatred coursing through him right now. He hated Bray Wyatt. He hated him like he had never hated anyone before in his life. It filled every inch of him and he was starting to weighs the pros and cons of literally beating him to death. It would be completely deserved. After everything that had happened there was no way anyone could argue with him about that.

"Seth..." Roman grabbed him by the arm and gently turned him around. "What exactly did he say?"

Seth shook his head. "Said Dean was safe which you know is a fucking lie. Said he's beautiful when he sleeps. Said he'd send me a picture if he could."

"How did he even get your number?" Roman looked totally lost on that aspect of the situation. "We have Dean's phone with us. We have all his stuff. I don't think Dean would have given it to him."

"Unless Bray did something to make him." Seth couldn't suppress the shudder that went through him at the mere thought of that. "Or he stole it some other time." Who the fuck even knew with Bray. Anything was possible with him. "What the fuck are we going to do Ro?"

"We'll figure something out," Roman promised. It was an empty promise really. He didn't know what to do any better than

Seth did. He couldn't just admit that though. Admitting that was basically admitting defeat and admitting defeat meant they couldn't save Dean. And that wasn't an option. They had to save him. They had to bring him back from this. Dean deserved to be happy. He deserve to be more than a thing for Bray to use and abuse on a whim. He was better than that. Even if he didn't believe it he was fucking better than that.

"We're going to go to the arena." Roman spoke again to break Seth out of his thoughts. "See if Wyatt brings him to the show tonight. We'll get him back and then I'm fighting that son of a bitch myself."

Seth's eyes widened. He didn't see how a match was going to solve anything. And Roman still wasn't back to one hundred percent. The match last night has exasperated both their injuries from the hotel room incident. He opened his mouth to object to the plan but ended up just shutting it. One look into Roman's eyes told Seth there was no talking him out of this. He had his mind made up about the way he wanted to handle it and Seth knew he had to have his back. There was no way a one on one fight with Bray would actually go down. Not with Rowan and Harper in the mix. He had to be ready to keep them at bay. Odds are they would kick his ass but if they did he would try to take them down with him.

...

If Dean had thought arriving at last week's Raw to find out Bray had pretty much told everyone about their relationship had been humiliating, it was nothing compare to this. Bray had forced him to put on his blue Hawaiian shirt before leaving the hotel, claiming he wanted him to do it because it matched his eyes. It wasn't hard to figure out the real reason though. It was a possessive move. He was marking Dean as his. Dean had pleaded with him the whole way to stop at a gas station so he could buy a different shirt but it had all fallen on to deaf ears. They arrived at the arena to find Harper and Rowan waiting for them. The two large men looked absolutely infuriated at Dean but neither one of them dared to say anything.

"Are they here?" Bray asked. He had a hold of Dean's wrists, squeezing so hard that Dean was sure the bones were going to break.

Harper nodded. "They're searching for him." The way he acknowledged Dean's presence was like how one would acknowledge the fact they just stepped in dog shit. "People are saying Reigns wants to fight you."

"Oh are they now?" Bray smirked and turned back to Dean. "The knight in shining armor is looking to strike. What do you think about that little lamb? Do you want to see him fight me?"

No. That was the last thing Dean wanted. Either Roman was going to get hurt or Bray was going to get infuriated by a loss and then who knew what would happen. "You don't have to fight him." He tried to pry Bray's fingers off him but the grip only tightened and he hissed in pain. "You don't have to do this just leave him alone."

"He's the one looking to challenge me darlin. I just can't turn down a fight."

"Not even for me?" Dean closed the distance between them so he could whisper right into Bray's ear. He would be damned if he was going to let Harper and Rowan hear him say this. "I'll do anything you want. Just leave him the fuck alone. Do this one fucking thing for me."

"Darlin..." A long sigh blew past Bray's lips and the regretful look on his face did seem genuine. "You're why we fight. There's no way to avoid this. Even if I say no tonight I will clash with our dear Mr. Reigns." He pressed his forehead to Dean's and gripped his chin tightly. "The war is meant to be waged. We're too far gone to stop now."

Dean tried to object but he didn't get the chance. Bray was on the move now, dragging him along while Harper and Rowan followed behind them. The walk through the arena was one of complete shame. He was being put on display. He was wearing Bray's clothes, being dragged around like he was some sort of pet and everyone was just staring at him. Nobody stepped in to say or do anything. They just watched, some curious and barely concealing their laughter while others were clearly disgusted. The reality of the situation was that Bray Wyatt scared everyone in the locker room. Even the people that claimed they weren't scared of him were really just lying through their teeth. They weren't going to help Dean and risk Bray's wrath. In Dean's mind though, he wasn't helped because nobody thought he deserved it. If someone was dumb enough to mess with a guy like Wyatt then he just had to reap what he sow.

"WYATT!"

Dean stopped dead at the raspy yell. Seth and Roman had spotted them and both of them looked ready to murder Bray.

"Boys!" Bray wasn't the least bit scared of the approaching men. In fact he looked absolutely overjoyed. He pulled Dean in front of him, letting go of his wrists so he could lock him in a tight hug. "How do you like the shirt? I dressed him myself." He laughed as Seth literally lunged at him. Roman caught the smaller man and held him back, not letting him strike because Bray still had Dean. "I did forget to feed him. I'm so sorry for that." He rested his chin on Dean's shoulder and started swaying from side to side with him. "We were just so busy catching up I didn't ask if he was hungry."

Seth and Roman looked absolutely livid. Dean couldn't even look at them. He was filled to the brim with shame. He wanted to die. This was what he had let himself become. A fucking spectacle. Bray Wyatt's easiest and favorite victim. A surge of anger coursed through him. With the anger came a bravery he knew he would pay for later. He elbowed Bray in the gut and bolted out of his grip. Seth got out of Roman's grasp immediately after and he pulled Dean completely over to them. Roman pushed them both behind them and stood tall, ready to fight. Bray had doubled over from the shot to his gut, though Dean had a feeling it was more from the surprise of it than actual pain. There was a flash of anger in Bray's eyes that made Dean's insides freeze but Bray quickly masked it and he just laughed. It was a disturbing sound. Even Roman took a step back. "I'll be seeing you little lamb." Bray winked at Dean before taking off. Harper and Rowan followed close behind him.

Roman watched them go like a hawk, waiting until they were completely out of sight before practically carrying both Seth and Dean to their locker room. "What the fuck is wrong with that mother fucker?" he muttered under his breath. "Can't we do psychological evaluations before we just let people work here? It's fucking professional wrestling not a god damn talent show in an insane asylum." He let go of Seth and Dean and locked the door behind them. "God damn it!" He punched the door several times, nearly busting his own hand up in the process.

"Babe..." Seth moved to start comforting him but stopped himself and turned to Dean, who was struggling to get Bray's shirt off him. "Here let me help."

"No."

"Dean-"

"I said no!" Dean didn't know why he snapped at Seth. It wasn't intentional. Seth was trying to help him he didn't mean to bite like a total asshole. "Sorry." The word was so mumbled he wasn't even sure if it was understood. He wasn't looking to repeat himself though. His focus was on getting rid of the shirt, which he did by literally it off himself. He tossed the hideous garment to the floor and brought his hand up to his shoulder. Usually he just rubbed it but now he dug his fingernails into his own skin. Angry red marks appeared with each swipe of his nails but he didn't care. It felt good. It felt so good he growled when Seth grabbed his wrists to make him stop. He tried to pull his hand back free but Seth was persistent.

"Dean stop that. You're going to hurt yourself." Seth glared at Roman for getting absorbed in his own anger before looking back at Dean. "What happened last night?" He asked the question as gently as possible. "What did he do to you?"

Dean froze uncomfortably at the question. He hadn't really come up with anything to tell them. He just knew he didn't want to talk about the incident at the warehouse. Not unless he absolutely had to. Coming to terms with the fact that Bray had almost killed him and could easily someday cross the line and do it was not something he really had come to terms with yet. He didn't know if he ever would. "Nothing."

The lie fooled neither Seth or Roman. Dean didn't know why he bothered with it. "Seriously what happened?" Roman was joining in on the questioning now. He came to stand by Seth's side, his hand reaching out and placing itself gently on Dean's shoulder. "You can tell us what happened. We need to know."

"Nothing fucking happened." There he went again. Lying when he knew it wouldn't work. "Just the usual bullshit. He knocked me out, babbled a lot, fucked me and then made an ass out of me." There. That wasn't a lie. He was holding back but he wasn't lying he should get points for that. "That's it."

Seth and Roman exchanged looks. They were too god damn smart for him. They just had to know him well enough to know he was leaving something out. He saw the silent argument pass through their eyes. They were questioning whether they should push him further. To keep trying to get the actual truth out of him. "Knock babble fuck ass." These four things were all he wanted them to know of his night. It was easier for him to keep it at that. "Knock babble fuck ass. Knock babble fuck ass. Knock babble fuck ass can I make it any clearer?"

"We got it." The argument was settled. Seth and Roman weren't pushing...for now. Dean knew just by looking at them this conversation wasn't going to be over for very long. He was taking the temporary reprieve gladly though. Right now he just let himself relax at Seth's touch. The younger man had cupped his face with both hands and was gently rubbing circles on his cheeks with his thumbs. He leaned forward, asking permission for a kiss. Dean gave it to him, melting into the gentle touch of Seth's lips.

"What do you need us to do?" Roman was the one to ask this. He and Seth were looking at him, both absolutely ready to give him anything.

Dean felt like he had to say something but his mind was coming up blank on what to ask for. "I just want my stuff," he finally said. He motioned down to his shirtless body. "I'm fucking freezing I need to change."

"Aye aye captain." With a ridiculous salute Seth went to go grab his stuff.

Dean shook his head and almost laughed. "Dumbass."

...

Bray hated technology. Absolutely hated it. But this was a time he saw its uses. The phone he had acquired was a cell phone but he didn't know how to use the text messaging stuff. So he had nabbed Eva Marie, reduced her dead looking eyes to tears, terrorized her more after that to ensure her silence and then gave her his phone. It was just one message he needed her to send to Seth's phone. He had stolen it out of Seth's phone one night when The Shield was having a six man tag team match. He had stolen Roman's phone number as well though he wasn't interested in using that one yet. No, this was the one he needed for now.

"Can I go now?" Eva asked after he nodded his approval over the text.

"That depends." Bray nodded to Harper, who grabbed a fistful of her bright red hair and yanked back. She screamed, which Bray had to cut off by slapping a hand over her mouth. "I know you're not the brightest bulb in this bunch but I think you'll be smart enough to not talk about this little incident here." He nodded to Harper again and Luke let her hair go. "Can you do that for us Eva?" He took his hand off her mouth. "You won't tell anyone about this now will you?"

"N-n-no." She managed to stammer out.

"Because you don't want to be involved right? You don't want to get caught in the crossfire. The Shield don't even care you exist so you're not going to tell them are you?"

"N-no."

He smiled and placed a kiss on the top of her head. "Good girl."


	24. Chapter 24

**Room 212. Come alone.**

Seth stared at the text in disbelief. It had come from the number Bray had called him from earlier. He kept reading the message over and over again, unsure of what to even think. At first he almost thought Bray had meant to text Dean instead but shook it off. There was no way Bray would accidentally text him anything. He was too calculated for that. The text was meant for him. But why? What did he want? Why would he think that he would do anything he said? It wasn't like he was Dean who just fell to his will. Plus, it so obviously had to be a set up. If he went alone they would just do something horrible to him. Nothing good came from being anywhere near Wyatt and his goons so he couldn't even risk it.

He shoved his phone in his pocket and looked over at Dean. He hadn't really said anything since he changed his clothes. He was just sitting in the corner, knees drawn up to his chest, staring off into the wall. Roman was constantly looking over at him, clearly wanting to try to talk to him. Seth wanted to do the same honestly. They both knew just by looking at him that there was more to last night's story than what was being told. Dean couldn't fool them. And Seth knew that he knew that but still he wasn't giving in and talking. Clearly whatever had happened had been really traumatic and Seth was going crazy not knowing. He and Roman couldn't fix it if they didn't even know what the hell had happened in the first place.

The phone started to feel really heavy inside his pocket. The fucking text was eating up his brain. Was he supposed to text Bray back and tell him to go fuck himself? Did he ignore it? He wanted to ask Roman what to do but stopped himself. If he brought it up now Dean would surely freak out. And there was no way Roman was going to step out of the room so they could have a private conversation. After everything that had happened he wasn't going to let Dean out of his sight until it was time for his match with Bray. They had already decided he would goad Bray into fighting him alone, though Seth would make sure he and maybe Dean if he was up to it would be nearby to counteract Rowan and Harper if needed. Or when needed was probably a more appropriate thought process. There was no way they would keep their noses out of it. Where Bray went they followed without hesitation. Their devotion to Bray was actually kind of scary.

Seth watched as Dean got up and started pacing around the room. It wasn't a very big one; it only took about five strides for him to get from wall to wall. His right hand compulsively rubbed his left shoulder and his now slicked down hair was falling into his eyes, which were focused on the floor. He was muttering something under his breath but Seth couldn't understand a word of it. The longer he muttered though the faster his hand rubbed his shoulder. Seth sometimes thought it was a compulsive tic he did to calm himself down but if that was the case it wasn't working tonight. "What did he do to you man?"

"Knock babble fuck ass."

Seth groaned. "There's more than that. Don't lie to me. I know better."

"Knock babble fuck ass. Knock babble fuck ass."

"Leave him alone," Roman ordered. "He'll talk when he wants to."

"We've been leaving him alone and now look at him!" Seth didn't like talking about anyone like they weren't in the room when they actually were but Roman's scolding made him forget himself. "He's about to fucking explode." He turned back to Dean. The unstable man was still pacing and muttering. "Dean..." He ignored the look Roman gave him and stepped in Dean's way. "Come on man." He grabbed Dean by the arms, hiding his wince as Dean flinched violently. He thought he and Roman had been making progress but now Dean didn't even want them to touch him. "What happened? You can tell us anything you know that."

"Leave it alone." Dean refused to look at him. "Just leave it alone."

"Dean please."

"You don't want to know."

"Yes we do. We need to know. You have to tell us. We can't help you if you don't tell us."

"How exactly do you plan to fucking help?" Dean finally looked up at him. Blue eyes were ignited with misplaced fury. "Do you got a fucking time machine we can hop in and stop me from being fucking kidnapped again? You got one so we can go back so I can just not fuck him in the first place? Or can you just put me the fuck out of my misery?" His voice cracked and he gave Seth a pleading look. "You wouldn't make it hurt right? Not like h-" He cut himself off and quickly ripped himself out of Seth's grip. He tried to pretend like he hadn't just said anything but the unfinished sentence imbedded itself into Seth's brain.

_Not like him._ Seth was absolutely positive that was what Dean was going to say. His stomach twisted violently. He couldn't even look at Roman to see if he caught on to the implication. He just stood there, shocked and unsure of what to do. Things suddenly seemed so much clearer. Last night something had clearly escalated between Dean and Bray. Something where Seth was certain Dean's life had been in danger. Dean was too rattled and trying much too hard to make them believe it had just been the usual business between him and Bray. He was trying to bury whatever it was and judging by the fact he was only getting more agitated even after Seth had shut up indicated he wasn't having much luck in his attempts.

Rage swept through Seth's entire being. Bray fucking Wyatt was ruining everything. He was destroying Dean, turning him into a shell of who he used to be. And for what? So he could be a trophy on his wall? A personal whore to have at his beck and call? It was disgusting and Seth hated him. He had enemies and people he really didn't like but he had never felt pure, unadulterated hate for anyone like this until now. This had to stop. He had to do something about this. Roman's way was to try to fight Bray in the ring. To not sink down to his level but maybe that was the only way to make it stop. Fight evil with their own evil. To unleash their own monster and showed the fucker that they had bigger teeth.

He pulled his phone back out of his pocket and looked at the message he had received. It was safe to assume Bray was staying at the same hotel they were. Everyone congregated to the same places anyway and even if they didn't Bray was so into the stalking Dean thing that he would always be somewhere near them. **Room 212. Come alone**. That was the message. One that shouldn't be obeyed in the very least but any kind of rational thought was leaving Seth's brain. Bray wanted him? Fine. He'd go. But whatever plan the fucker had in mind was not going to go smoothly. If Roman didn't finish the bastard off then he would go and do it himself.

* * *

The match with Bray didn't go anywhere near as planned. Roman didn't know why he had expected anything different. Rowan and Harper came out just like everyone knew they eventually would. Seth took them out and then Dean got involved, officially getting the disqualification called on Roman by attacking Bray. Not the way he liked his matches to end but what could they do? He swallowed down the disappointment of not doing nearly the damage he wanted to on Bray and went backstage with Dean and Seth. The moment they got through the curtain he grabbed them by the hands and started leading them to the dressing room. "I need a shower," he announced.

"And we're doing that with you now?" Dean asked. A ghost of a smile appeared on his face.

"Yes." Letting them out of his sight for the match had been too long in his mind. He looked to Seth who seemed lost in his own world. He had been that way almost the whole night now. Roman could have sworn he saw the wheels turning his head but he had no idea what was causing it. "Seth?" He gave the younger man's hand a good squeeze. "You alright?"

"What?" Seth blinked several times before settling his gaze on Roman and Dean. They were both looking at him in concern and he shook his head. "I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" Roman knew he was lying. He was lying right to his face and he wanted to point it out. He wanted to call him right out but he didn't. He was too exhausted from everything to want to fight.

Seth nodded. "Yeah." He forced himself to grin and he quickened his pace so he could take the lead. "A shower sounds great."

* * *

It felt like Dean and Roman would never go to sleep. Even after a threesome where Seth made it his personal mission to wear them out they hadn't wanted to just fall asleep. He had almost thought he was going to have to drug them but before he could think of how to enact that plan they finally passed out on their own. He stayed put until they both started snoring before slipping out of bed and putting his clothes back on. His heart was pounding inside his chest. He had psyched himself up for this all night. He had even snuck a weapon out from the arena so he could have it on hand. But now that he was getting ready to strike, he didn't feel ready at all. He really wanted to wake Roman up and have him come along but stopped himself. Roman wouldn't go along with this plan. He would call it stupid and it would turn into a yelling match and there just wasn't time for it. This couldn't be settled in the ring nor could they just wait and see what Bray would do next. One of them had to be proactive in this situation and it looked like it had to be him.

He grabbed the lead pipe he had taken from the arena and slipped it into the arm of his long-sleeved black shirt. Roman and Dean were still asleep. He took a deep breath and left the room, grabbing his key card on the way. Bray was actually just down the hall from them which was not a comforting thing. It was creepy as hell thinking he was always so close. Fucking bastard. He deserved to get his face bashed in. Seth almost started picturing it in his own head but caught himself. He had to focus. Just because he was coming alone didn't mean Bray would. Harper and Rowan had to be lurking around there somewhere. It was just a matter of how soon they would show themselves.

He stopped in front of the door and took a deep breath. He hadn't gotten any kind of instructions on what to do once he got here. A glance around produced no signs of Harper or Rowan at least which was a temporary comfort. He moved the pipe out of his sleeve and readied himself to swing it while the other hand knocked on the door. "Come on come on," he muttered under his breath. "Come on come on come on you son of a bitch."

The door opened and Seth swung the moment he saw a person on the other side. The person in question was not Bray though. It was Harper and he fell to the ground with a thump as Seth struck him upside the head with the pipe. "God damn it!" Seth slipped into the room and stepped over the unconscious Harper. His eyes found Bray who was sitting over by the window. Without hesitation he lunged right for him. He didn't get anywhere close though. Rowan hit him from the side, smashing him into the wall before wrapping him in a bear hug. "Fuck!" He kicked his feet wildly but the larger man didn't even seem to feel any of the blows. "Let me go!" His arms were trapped against his sides, rendering him unable to swing the pipe again. "Let me go you son of a bitch!"

"You know, I just called you here to talk." Bray shook his head in disappointment as he got up and closed the door. "We weren't looking for trouble." He knelt down and pulled Harper up off the ground. "He's going to be coming for your head now boy." He dragged his devoted follower to the bed and laid him down on it. "And I won't stop him." He kissed Harper on the forehead before walking over to the still struggling Seth. "You're lucky I don't want our boys to know about this little meeting otherwise you'd be paying for that now."

Seth growled and kicked at him. He just barely missed, Bray having stopped somewhat short of being right on him. Rowan snarled and squeezed him more tightly, giving him a good shake while he was at it.

"Are you done yet?" Bray was barely holding back his laughter. "We have serious business to discuss here."

"What did you do to him last night?" Seth could barely get enough breath in to ask the question. Rowan was squeezing him so tightly it felt like his ribs were going to break right in half.

"I didn't call you here to talk about last night."

"I don't care what you called me here for!" Seth kicked his legs harder, the heels of his boots connecting with Rowan's knees. "I-" He didn't get to finish the sentence. Rowan's hand went around his throat and squeezed, cutting off his oxygen completely.

"Erick!" Bray's voice was like a sharp crack of a whip. "Let him go!"

Rowan reluctantly obeyed. Seth found himself being unceremoniously dropped to the ground and Bray snatched up his lead pipe before he could think about swinging it. Seth put himself up on his knees glaring at Bray who was now smiling. "I see what you were going for." Bray stared at the pipe, carefully examining every inch of it before tapping it against the side of Seth's head. "You thought you were going to slay the big bad wolf. You think you and that boyfriend of yours are the heroes of this story."

"We are," Seth snapped. He watched Bray like a hawk, twisting his body around when the other man thought he should start circling him. All he needed was one moment. One moment that he could use to his advantage and get the pipe back. If he got it back he was quick enough to where he could hit both Bray and Rowan before getting taken back down. They got him once but they wouldn't get him again. He would make sure of it.

"Are you really sure about that?"

"We're not the ones kidnapping Dean and fucking raping him whenever we want to feel like big shots." If looks could kill Seth would have murdered the Wyatt family patriarch a thousand times over by now. "We're not the ones hurting him."

"But you will."

"No we won't.""

"Yes. That's why I called you here tonight."

Seth faltered slightly. He was completely lost now. "What the fuck are you even talking about?"

Bray smiled. "Little birdies told me Mommy and Daddy want us all to fight again come next week. They want to throw us all out to the wolves who will be crying for their leader to come back to them." Raw was in Chicago next week so he was talking about the fans and Punk with that one. Mommy and Daddy were Stephanie and Hunter but Seth hadn't yet heard about any sort of rematch with them all. The fact that one was even being considered wasn't surprising. Rematches were common as it was and with the spectacle that was their last match it was only natural they would put them out there to rip each other apart once more.

"So what?" Seth swallowed hard and tried to act casual about the whole thing. "We'll beat you this time. We won't make the same mistakes twice."

"No. You'll make a whole new one." Bray tossed the lead pipe behind him and knelt down in front of Seth. "You're going to leave him during the match."

"...I'm going to what?"

Bray rolled his eyes. "You're going to leave him during the match."

Seth blinked. He hadn't heard that wrong. "No I'm not." The reply was so simple and it was all he could really offer up. He didn't even get why Bray would think that was going to happen.

"Oh yes you are."

"Why would I even do that?"

"Because I said so."

Seth laughed. He actually laughed at the absurdity of this whole situation. "You're insane. I'm not betraying Dean just because you said so." He couldn't stop laughing. It probably wasn't the smartest thing to do but fuck it he just couldn't help himself. "If you want to beat me up just fucking do it. I'm not fucking playing your games."

"Oh but you will." Bray dropped down to his knees in front of Seth. "I'm giving you the option to just agreeing now and saving you and everyone you care about a whole lot of trouble." He smiled as Seth scowled at him. "It'll be better this way."

"For who? You?" Seth shook his head. "Fuck you. I'm not doing shit." He didn't get how Bray thought he would ever agree to something like this. He didn't even want to think how Bray planned on making him agree. He just knew he couldn't agree to do that shit to Dean. It was out of the question. Dean was so fragile right now and that move would send him back to Bray and they would most likely never get him back again. The move would prove Bray right in his mind and then he would win. Fuck that. Fuck that bullshit.

Bray wasn't bothered by Seth's refusal. "Fine. Have it your way." He stood back up and patted the top of Seth's head. "Just remember that anything that happens now is all on you." He stood back up and motioned for Rowan to grab the smaller man once more. "We'll be seeing you Mr. Rollins."

Rowan picked Seth up and slung him over his shoulder like he was nothing more than a small child. Seth beat his fists against his broad back but the only thing that did was make Rowan literally fling him out of the room. He hit the door to the room across the hall back first, creating a thud that was surely going to piss off the neighbors. Bray burst into a fit of laughter as Rowan slammed their door shut, leaving Seth out in the hallway alone to wonder what the hell just happened.


	25. Chapter 25

_The smoke hung so heavy in the air Dean couldn't breathe. He was in the warehouse again, hanging from the ceiling and doused in gasoline once more. Just a few feet away from were Seth and Roman, their bodies burning away. Knelt down in front of them was the other him. The evil him that burned them before had done it again and was looking up at Bray with complete adoration. Bray smiled and pet the other him on the top of his head. "Such a good little lamb." His fingers gently played with his poofy hair. "I love you so much darlin." He moved his hand away from the other Dean's hair down to his face. "Do you love me?"_

_"Yes." The other Dean said without hesitation. His own hands were at the waistband of Bray's white pants, working to unbutton them. He looked completely crazed. Blue eyes were wide and mouth was agape, nearly salivating as he tried to get Bray's cock out of his pants._

_"Do you really love me?"_

_"Yes."_

_Dean was going to throw up. He tried to pull himself free from his restraints but he couldn't. The muscles in his arm had gone completely numb. He whimpered in frustration and tried to find something else he could focus on. He didn't want to look at Bray and the other him. He didn't want to look at Roman and Seth's burned bodies. He had to find something else. But there was nothing else. There was nothing but them and the smoke. The god damn smoke that was making him feel even sicker. It filled his lungs with every breath he took and made him cough and choke._

_"You know what else you need to do." Bray's voice snared his attention once more. The bearded man had knelt down and pressed his forehead against the other Dean's. "Just one more thing and you'll be free." He kissed him softly. "You want to be free don't you?"_

_Dean watched as the other him nodded. A chill went down his spine. As bad as things had been going he suddenly had the feeling it was going to get worse. He tried to free himself of his restraints once more. He still failed. He could barely even budge as the other him came closer. There was a lighter in his hands and he flicked it playfully at Dean. "Wait wait wait." Dean shook his head frantically. "Get away from me. Get away please..."_

_"Ssssshhhh." Bray was just watching with a smile on his face. "It's alright little lamb. He's just setting you free."_

_"NO!"_

Dean woke up before the flame could touch his skin. He sat straight up, his heart pounding wildly and his body drenched in a cold sweat. His eyes darted around the dark room he was in. His brain was too panic fueled to remember where he actually was. He scrambled off the bed, not even realizing he jabbed Roman in the stomach in the process. He tried to run but his legs gave out on him and he fell to the floor. Damn it. His legs felt so weak. Why were they so weak? It didn't even feel like he had any bones in them. His bones were gone and had been replaced by jelly. He tried to drag himself on his arms but they felt like jelly as well. What the hell was happening to him? Why couldn't he move? Was he even awake? Was he trapped in another nightmare? Or had he somehow been drugged or paralyzed? Maybe Bray had done something to him. He tried to call out for help but he couldn't get out a sound. It felt like his throat was closing up on him. He couldn't breathe. He was dying he couldn't breathe.

"Dean!" Roman picked him up off the floor and pulled him into a tight embrace. "I got you. You're fine. You're safe."

The lights came on and Dean gasped. He was in Seth and Roman's room. He was at their house. His place wasn't safe to stay in and they had brought him there again. He had yet to be touched by Bray there unless one counted his nightmares.

"Holy shit man." Seth ran a hand over his tired face. They were on their third night of getting absolutely no sleep and Dean felt like total shit for it. It was all his fault. He just kept having nightmare after nightmare and they were only getting worse. Roman and Seth were trying to help him but nothing was working. The moment he closed his eyes he kept going back to that warehouse. Yet he had slept the night it happened. That thought stayed with him and plagued him every time he woke up until the time he fell back asleep. He had slept the night it happened. He had slept in Bray's arms. He was trying to tell himself it was just because he had been so exhausted that night. Everything had hit him too hard to let him dream. But with every new nightmare he was becoming more and more afraid that Bray somehow had something to do with his lack of nightmares that night. That scared him just as badly as anything else. What if Bray had been right all along? What if he did need him?

Roman's hand rubbed his back while he whispered little things into his ear. He told him everything was going to be alright and he was safe. Yet how could he say that? Nothing felt alright. The reprieve from Bray was really just a lie. They were fighting him and Harper and Rowan again on Monday. That had been made official at the Smackdown tapings. And Dean just felt ill over it. He had literally just barely survived Elimination Chamber and now he had to do it all over again. It was too much. He couldn't do it. He just couldn't do it.

"Dean..." Seth let out a long sigh and knelt down in front of him. "We have to know what happened Sunday."

Dean shook his head. "I already told you."

"No." Seth was not having it. "You're telling us the truth and you're telling us right now."

"I can't." Dean didn't like holding this in. He really didn't. But he couldn't tell them. He just couldn't. He craned his head back to look at Roman. "It was nothing I swear."

Roman wasn't any more convinced than Seth was. "We need to know." He wasn't happy to echo Seth's sentiments. He didn't want to push Dean. But this was wearing them down. They had to know. There was no getting around it anymore.

Dean pulled himself out of Roman's grip. He knew they needed to know. He knew they just wanted to help. But he was so tired of being made to do things he didn't want to do. He was tired of being poked and prodded from all sides. Them, Bray, Stephanie after the last Smackdown taping, AJ, Bryan, The Usos-everyone was just starting to poke and poke and poke him and why did his life have to fall apart like this? "You really want to know?" He looked back and forth between them. Exhaustion and fear had him in this foul mood. "You really want to know what happened?" He started pacing back and forth, his hand rubbing his shoulder over and over again. "Do you want to know how he knocked me out and took me to some old warehouse? Do you want to know how he hung me up from the ceiling by my wrists and kept talking and talking and talking and talking and talking and talking..."

"Dean..." Roman got off the bed and started approaching him slowly.

"You want to hear about how he poured gasoline all over me? You want to hear about how he almost set me on fire but then he stopped?"

"Oh my god." Seth looked like he was going to be sick.

"Do you want to hear about how I wish he did it now?" Dean laughed bitterly. "I was so scared. I didn't want to die but fuck it now I wish I did."

"Don't say that," Roman ordered.

"Why not?" The words were all just tumbling out of his mouth. He didn't even know if he meant half of them. "He won't fucking stop. He just keeps coming and coming and coming and it's back and forth and back and forth and back and forth with all of you and I'm fucking TIRED. I'm just so fucking TIRED of this shit. I can't sleep. I can't sleep. I want to sleep. I want to sleep I want to sleep just someone fucking let me sleep!" Without realizing it he had backed himself into the corner and started hitting his head against the wall. "I want to sleep. I wanna sleep. Let me sleep just let me FUCKING SLEEP."

Seth and Roman tried really hard to mask how much he was freaking them out. They both approached him slowly and drew him out of the corner. They did their best to calm him and eventually got him back to bed. His eyes felt so heavy that they closed as he kept ranting, his sleep only lasting an hour this time before he woke up screaming once again.

* * *

The plan Bray had formulated on Monday was already being set in motion. His orders had been clear and when he had thought it up he had intended to be there the entire time it played out. Yet here he was, over a thousand miles away from his original destination so he could watch Dean. Triple H and Stephanie were pulling them all from the house shows this weekend to make sure they were all one hundred percent for their rematch Monday. That meant he had a little time before he had to rush to his flight and make sure everything fell into place for Monday. Though if he was going to be honest with himself, even if he hadn't had the time he probably still would have found an excuse to come to Florida and watch over Dean. He hid in the shadows, watching through the windows and following them anywhere they went. All of them were blind to his presence. Seth and Roman thought their home was so safe and Dean was too busy falling apart to catch on. His self-destruction was fascinating and beautiful yet heart wrenching all at the same time. He was falling apart at the seams. He wasn't sleeping. He could barely eat. The comfort Seth and Roman had brought him before wasn't being felt this time. The thing at the warehouse snapped something inside Dean. He hadn't even realized how much damage the incident had done. And now he just wanted to go and wrap Dean up in his arms. He wanted to pick up the pieces and put them together the way he wanted them but it wasn't time for that yet. He needed to get Seth to betray Dean first. The only way he would ever truly have Dean was if Seth or Roman fulfilled his prophecy and abandoned him. It wasn't happening as fast as he would have liked so of course he was going to expedite the process. His patience was running too thin to just let things play out. He needed Dean to be his for good and he needed it now.

Thursday morning saw Dean go straight to the liquor store and load up on booze. That caused such a fight Bray almost thought he wasn't going to need his plan after all. Seth and Roman didn't want him poisoning himself. He could at least agree with them about that. But Dean wouldn't stop. His nightmares were driving him out of his mind. He drank that entire day, alternating between being extra defensive about his choice and then practically begging Roman and Seth for help. He pleaded with them not to hate him. And they were at a loss for what to do. Bray would have pitied them if he didn't want them out of the way so badly.

He noticed that Dean only pretended to fall asleep that night. From his perch in the tree he watched as Dean waited until Roman and Seth passed out before slipping out of bed. Bray waited until he left the room before he climbed down and snuck around to peer in through the living room window. Dean was on the couch now, cheap whiskey in hand. His eyes stayed glued on the TV, eyelids drooping more and more. Eventually he fell asleep despite himself and that was when Bray made his move. Despite Roman getting constantly annoyed by it Seth was terrible about locking the back door. It was perfect for Bray though. He slipped right in and crept through the kitchen. His heart was actually starting to beat a little faster in his chest. He shook that off real quick and went into the living room. Dean didn't stir as he entered. He hadn't yet entered his world of nightmares. Bray watched him for a few minutes, making sure he was really sleep before sitting down on the couch and pulling him on his lap. Dean grunted but didn't wake up. Instead he unknowingly snuggled deeper into Bray's arms. Bray smiled and lightly traced his fingers over Dean's face. He hadn't shaved that day and the scruff was rough to the touch. He didn't really mind it though. He didn't want to be a regular thing but he could deal with it for now.

"You're such a precious thing." Bray kept his voice low so he wouldn't wake anyone up. His fingers kept tracing over Dean's face. "You have no idea how precious you are." His fingers went over Dean's lips. He wanted to take him. Just taken him right here but again he showed restraint. The wait would be worth it. He had to remember that. "I love you. I really do. I know I hurt you but after Monday there'll be no more of that." He took Dean's hand in his and squeezed it tightly. "I promise."

None of his words were heard. Dean was out and for the first time since Sunday he slept soundly. Bray attributed that to himself, even though the booze could have easily had a hand in it. He sat with Dean until an hour before sunrise. He didn't want to go but he had to. He didn't need Seth or Roman finding him and he had a flight to catch anyway. His plan couldn't be delayed any further. He gave Dean a soft kiss on the lips before going, comforting himself in knowing that was the last time he'd ever have to just let Dean go.

* * *

Seth was the one who found Dean sleeping on the couch the next morning. The bottle of whiskey had slipped out of his hands and spilled all over the floor. The TV was on, the channel that had probably held a late night talk show when Dean had come out here now showed a ridiculous soap opera that he was more than happy to change. He wasn't exactly happy that Dean had drank himself to sleep. Dean was a wild man on some of his best days and a straight up alcoholic on his worst. Though it was hard to exactly blame him after everything that had happened. And thanks to him actually sleeping he was a lot calmer when he woke up. He rolled himself off the couch as Roman and Seth were eating lunch. He shuffled in, head bowed and seemingly embarrassed by his behavior from the previous day. Seth and Roman just forgave him and made sure he ate and cleaned himself up.

Monday's upcoming fight loomed before them like the one at the pay-per-view did. Seth tried not to think about it. He also tried not to think about what Bray had wanted him to do when it came to that fight. Betraying Dean was such a ludicrous thing. He wasn't one to betray people as it was and betraying Dean and Roman was just a completely unacceptable idea to him. Yet Bray's last words still worried him immensely. Anything that happens now is all his fault. What the hell was that shit even? What was he planning on doing? Did he even want to know?

_No. No I really don't._

They ended up outside in the pool Seth had insisted on putting in the backyard for the day. With Dean still riding the mellow train it was almost like things were back to normal. They were back to a time before Bray Wyatt. They were back to a time before there had ever been tension between them. Seth wondered how they could have let things get to them like they did. They were everything to each other and they had lost sight of that. And look at what that got them.

Seth was inside getting himself a drink when the call came. At first he almost didn't answer it. He was too busy laughing at Dean's antics. He was doing his famous reenactment of Point Break and even though Seth couldn't hear it Roman's laughter was contagious. Finally though he did grab the phone, catching it right before it could switch to the machine. "Hello?"

"Hello Mr. Rollins."

Seth's good mood came crashing down around him. The son of a bitch just did not stop. "The answer is still no asshole."

"Are you sure you want to keep it that way?" Bray's tone spelled nothing but trouble. "I mean I know you fancy him as the last piece to your puzzle but really, is sacrificing the many to keep the one really worth it?"

"What the fuck are you talking about?"

"I've always hated the Midwest." Bray spoke lazily, like he was just shooting the breeze rather than doing something completely sinister. "I don't know why really. But I really really hate it. Especially Iowa."

Seth's heart skipped a beat. "Wyatt..."

"I really hate it here in Iowa yet here I am because you couldn't obey." Bray let out a low chuckle. "Lucky for me I've got some really lovely company this time."

The sound of his mother and sisters screaming made Seth's blood run cold. In that moment everything stopped. He couldn't move. He couldn't breathe. He didn't know why he was even so shocked. Of course Bray stooped to this level. Of fucking course he did. The man had no morals. He was vicious. He was ruthless and he was insane. And now he had taken Seth's family. He and his hairy band of freaks had his family and Seth started to shake. He felt sick. He was going to be sick.

"You know what I want," Bray said. He spoke so calmly but loudly so he could be heard over the screams. "This is what's going to happen-"

"Let them go. Let them fucking go you fucking god damn son of a bitch!"

"Oh I will. If you comply that is. You won't call the police. You won't tell Roman. You won't come trying to find them like a big hero. You'll keep your mouth shut and throw that match on Monday because I swear to you on Abigail's grave if you don't I will make sure you find the whole lot of them in pieces. Are we clear?"

Seth closed his eyes. Bile had risen to the back of his throat. This was sick. He couldn't agree to do this but what choice did he have? Bray had his family. He had threatened to KILL his family. If he almost killed Dean then he would surely get rid of them if need be. He held no twisted affection for them. They were a means to and end just like he was.

"Seth! Are we clear?"

_I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry Dean_. "...Yes. We're clear."

* * *


	26. Chapter 26

Something was wrong with Seth. Dean had known it from the moment Seth had come back outside from getting his drink. Roman knew it too but despite all their questioning Seth wouldn't tell them what was going on. It was worrying Roman and scaring Dean. It was fitting he supposed to just have one more thing to be scared about. He had a terrible feeling that what was wrong with Seth had something to do with Bray. There was no other reason for him to be so secretive. Or maybe that was just Dean being paranoid. But still, why would Seth be hiding it if it was anyone else? It didn't seem likely to him. He put the beer bottle to his lips and took a long drink from it. He was sitting in the living room trying to watch TV. His attempts at talking to Seth had failed so Roman had decided to give it a shot. He was trying to give the two of them privacy, knowing full well Roman would report to him after. But he just couldn't sit there. He had to turn down the TV and listen in on the conversation being had in the other room.

"Seth please," Roman pleaded. He sounded so tired. Even with Dean now drinking himself to sleep to subdue the nightmares, the Samoan still wasn't getting a whole lot of rest. Monday was still weighing heavily on them and now this thing with Seth was just adding to it. "Just tell me what's going on."

"There's nothing going on!" Seth said once again. His denials weren't convincing anyone yet he still kept lying to everyone.

"I mean it." He slammed something down and Dean jumped. "Why do you guys have to keep interrogating me?"

"Because you're lying to us!"

"I'm not lying!"

"Yes you are!" Roman's voice was starting to rise. "You're lying to me right now!"

"No I'm not!"

"Yes you are!"

Dean cringed. He had never realized just how terrible it was to hear Seth and Roman fight. It happened so rarely. They were always on the same page. It was always him that caused the fights by getting out of control.

"Seth please." Roman had to take a deep breath to get his voice lower. "Just tell me what's going on. We can't help you if you don't tell us what's going on."

"I don't need help. There's nothing going on. Now can you just drop it?"

"No. We can't drop it. You're lying to me. Why are you lying to me?"

"We need to be worried about Dean." Now Seth was just deflecting. "Bray tried to kill him. KILL him! What the fuck are we going to do about that? How the fuck are we supposed to keep him safe?"

"I don't know," Roman admitted. "We'll figure something out."

"No! We have to have it already figured out! Bray is a fucking psychopath. We don't have time to just figure it out."

"Well you're the one who makes the plans here. Tell me what we should do."

"Killing Bray sounds like a grand fucking idea to me."

"...Seth..."

"What? Don't look at me like that!"

"That's not an option. You know that."

"Why not?"

"Do you want to go to jail? Or get us all killed by the rest of that family?"

"Do you want the son of a bitch to kill Dean? Because he's either going to do that or he's going to get us out of the way so he has him all to himself."

"Seth please just calm down." Roman was probably guessing Dean was listening and was trying to reel the younger man back in before anything bad was overheard.

"I'm not going to calm down! Don't tell me to calm down! I fucking am so sick of this shit! I'm sick of Wyatt. Look what he's done to Dean. He's fucking broken him. He's fucking broken and I don't think we're going to be able to put him back together."

"Not with that fucking attitude we're not. He needs us to be strong. We can't break down. Not now. Not ever."

Seth sighed and Dean couldn't take listening to any of this. He set his beer aside and got up. They were talking again but Dean just went upstairs. He almost went into Roman and Seth's bedroom but veered to the left at the last moment and went into the bathroom. He flipped on the light switch and went to the sink. He put the water on as cold as he could to rinse off his face. He felt like such shit. This was what they were reduced to. Seth was breaking down. He himself was already broken but now Seth was going down too. And try as he might, Roman was breaking down too. They were all fucking going down and it all ultimately was his fault. He had let Bray in. Had let him get in until it was too late to push him back out. And nobody knew how to save him. Maybe there was no saving him. Maybe they were past the point where a happy ending was possible for him. Maybe Seth was right. He was either going to die or Bray was going to get him back for good. He cringed. He didn't want that. He wanted to escape this mess. He wanted to be him again, not Bray's puppet. There had to be a way to save him from that. But Bray was just so unwilling to let him go. That was the thing. If they were dealing with anyone less crazy he would have been okay. But Bray was who he was and there was no getting him to change.

_So stupid. Such a stupid little boy. You think you can play with the big bad wolf and just get away with it?_

Dean grimaced and put his hands over his ears. He just wanted the voice to be quiet. He needed it to fucking stop.

_Bray's never going to leave you alone. He's going to drag you down. Down down down down..._

He let out a strangled cry as his hand shot forward. His fist hit the mirror, shattering it and breaking open the skin. The pain and the feeling of his own blood pouring out silenced the voice. He let out a sigh of relief. That was better. So much better.

* * *

Seth swallowed yet another shot, his throat burning at the taste of the whiskey. Roman was mad at him for lying and now he was off brooding somewhere. He hated knowing his boyfriend was so pissed but what the fuck could he do? He couldn't tell Roman what Bray had done. Roman would either call the cops or go storming in to play hero because he was not one to comply with the plans of a madman and as admirable as that was, it was going to get his family killed. His family...his poor family. He didn't want to imagine what Wyatt and his band of freaks were doing to them. He was praying they weren't actually hurting them. He already wasn't going to forgive himself for not thinking to do something to keep them safe to begin with but if something actually happened to them then he would really hate himself. He would hate Wyatt more but he still should have seen something like this coming. He was usually so good at knowing what their enemies would do and how to counter it. But he was just at a loss. Bray was only predictable when it came to what he wanted. How he was going about to get it was insane.

Seth took another drink. He didn't want to throw the match on Monday. Throwing the match meant betraying Dean. Bray wanted him to be hurt enough to come back willingly. That much Seth was certain. It was all a power trip for him. It was all fun and games to hurt Dean as long as he got to put the pieces back together how he wanted. He couldn't just let Dean go back a relationship like that. But at the same time this was his family on the line. He couldn't let them get hurt. He had to give in but fuck he didn't want to. He had to think of something else to do. Maybe he needed to tell Dean. Get him in on it so he knew Seth wasn't doing this because he actually wanted to. But if the end game for Bray was to get Dean back and Dean didn't go back then what happened? Seth had a feeling the other members of the Wyatt Family would be keeping his loved ones guarded while Bray, Harper and Rowan did their work. If Dean didn't go back to Bray then he would know he told him and even though Bray hadn't said not to tell him, there was no way Bray wanted Dean to know. Or maybe it wouldn't matter if he told Dean because the hurt of not being the one chosen in this situation would be enough to fuck with him. Dean didn't have a good relationship with his parents like Seth and Roman did. His mom had fucked him up and his dad had bailed before he was born, popping up here and there once he became a teenager but never saving Dean from the hell he grew up in. Any other relatives were non-exist ant. Dean wouldn't understand why he would do it. What Dean needed was someone who would sacrifice it all for him and if Seth showed that he wasn't going to do that then that would probably do just as much damage as letting Dean go into the match blind. No matter what way he turned there was seemingly no winning in sight.

The drinks were going down faster and faster. Getting drunk was stupid and wouldn't solve anything. He couldn't help it though. He was at a loss for what to do. He either was going to lose Dean or lose his family. Or maybe he would lose all of them if he really fucked up now.

"Hey."

Seth looked up to see Dean walking into the room. He had his hand crudely wrapped up in a bandage and Seth wondered what the hell had he done to himself. "Hey." He tried to smile like nothing was wrong as Dean sat down but couldn't manage it. "Are you okay?"

Dean just shrugged. "I need a drink." He pointed to the bottle of whiskey Seth had. "May I?"

Seth knew he should say no. Dean didn't need his alcoholic tendencies encouraged in any way. But he couldn't bring himself to say no. Instead he slid the bottle over so they could share. Maybe a few more drinks would lead him to some answers.

* * *

It went unnoticed by Seth that Dean was drinking much less than he was. Dean would have rathered chug the whole bottle down by himself but he stopped himself. Somewhere between sitting down and taking his first drink a plan had popped into his head. Or maybe it wasn't so much of a plan as it was an idea. His brain was too exhausted to do full on plans. No, he just followed his gut instinct to feed Seth as much as the booze as he could. Roman clearly hadn't gotten anywhere with him so now it was his turn to try once more. Seth's tongue always got looser with alcohol. Dean was fairly certain he wasn't going to end up regretting finding out what was on Seth's mind but he had to do it. The not knowing was stressing him out way too much.

"You know I love you guys right?" Dean snagged the bottle of vodka Roman had stashed away once Seth polished off the rest of the whiskey.

Seth nodded. "We love you too." His words were slurring together but Dean still understood him perfectly. He had more than a little experience in translating drunk speech. "We love you a lot." Seth reached over and patted the top of his hand. "We do. We love you a whole lot."

Dean nodded along. Seth was saying that awfully fast. Like he was trying to convince Dean...or himself even. "I didn't mean to drag you guys down in this shit." He tried to chase off the bad thoughts that wanted to dominate his brain. "I never wanted you guys to get hurt. Or have to worry about me. I'm not worth it I know but-"

"Stop stop stop." Seth waved his hands around to add to the interruption. "Stop please. Fucking stop it." He leaned over the table and put his finger up to Dean's lips. "This...this is why that fucker wins so much. You can't talk like that no more. It's bad." He popped Dean gently right on the mouth. "Bad. You stop it." He took his hand away and returned fully to his seat. "Jesus man. You are too down on yourself. Why can't you be as cocky as you act? You'd be better off."

Dean shrugged. "I wish I could." He slid the vodka to Seth and made sure he was drinking it before he spoke again. "But um...look I love you guys and you know you can tell me shit right?" God this was horribly awkward. He was so used to being on the receiving end of these types of conversations. He never had to give them and he wasn't even sure if he was doing this right.

Seth stared at him with wide eyes. "What are you saying?"

Dean took a deep breath. "Seth I know you're lying to us." He could tell already by Seth's eyes he wasn't going to remember this conversation in the morning. Oh well. That didn't matter so much as just finding out what the hell was going on. "I just...I just want to know what's going on." God this was so uncomfortable. He didn't do this kind of stuff. If something was wrong he usually just left it the fuck alone until someone else brought it up.

Seth visibly gulped. "I can't..."

"Yes you can." Dean was trying to be patient. Trying to nudge Seth into drinking a little more. "Just say it. Get it out there."

"I can't!"

"Why not? You haven't let me bottle things up. Why should I let you do it?"

Seth let out a shaky breath and his eyes narrowed. The booze was not only going to wipe his memory once he passed out but it was making him angry now as well. "You want to know?" His words were starting to slur even more but Dean still managed to understand every word. "Let's talk about your boyfriend kidnapping my family. My family! My god damn family." He smashed a fist down on the table. "It never stops. It never fucking stops."

Dean just sat there in shock. He had expected to hear something bad of course. He had a feeling Bray was involved in some way but this was a much lower and dirtier than he had been expecting.

"He wants me to throw the match on Monday." Now that Seth had started he couldn't stop. He was such a rambler when he was drunk. "He wants to me to leave you and let you come back to him. He said he'll...he said...he's going to kill them if I don't."

Dean wanted to say Bray was bluffing but that would be a lie. After everything that had happened, he would totally carry through with his threat.

"I don't want to do it." Seth was still going. His voice was a higher pitch than normal and brown eyes gave Dean a desperate look. "It's my family though. I know you don't get that because your family sucked and all but I love them. I can't let them die."

Dean flinched at the comment. It was too true for comfort. The closest thing he had to a family was Seth and Roman and now Seth was giving him up to save his actual family. He wasn't good enough to be chosen over them.

_That's not fair and you know it. Even Bray let Seth and Roman have you back when Roman threatened Isabella._

Isabella. Dean suddenly wondered if Bray's move was some kind of karma from that whole ordeal. It wouldn't surprise him. Bray was the type to hold a grudge.

"I gotta think of something." Seth's voice brought him back out of his thoughts. "I can't let you go back to him. He's crazy. He'll kill you or...or...I don't know. He'll Wyatt you up." He laughed bitterly. "I'm usually good at this shit. I can make a god damn plan. Why can't I make a god damn plan this time?" He started smacking himself on the side of the head. "Nothing works. Nothing fucking, fucking works!" Tears of frustration started to spill and Dean froze. He was not good at dealing with crying. He could not deal with other people crying on him. He needed Seth to stop. "I can't find a way out of this one."

"Seth..." Dean shook his head and grabbed his wrists. "Stop it." He tightened his grip as Seth tried to pull himself free. "Stop!"

"I don't know what to do." Seth put his head against Dean's stomach. "I don't know what to fucking do."

Dean didn't say anything. He just hugged Seth tightly, his fingers playing lightly with the younger man's hair. He felt like such dog shit. Nothing good had been happening to Seth and Roman ever since they jumped into this mess. The assault at the hotel room, how beat up they got during the match, having to deal with him in all his fucked up glory and now Bray had Seth's family...it was too much. He couldn't keep letting them go through all this. It was wrong to put the pressure on them to clean up his own mess.

"Come on." Dean dragged Seth up to his feet. He put one of Seth's arms over his shoulder and started guiding him towards the bedroom. "You need to sleep."

"I can't." Seth tried to slip away. "I can't. I fucking can't I-"

"You can." Dean wasn't accepting any arguments. "I'm going to take care of this okay?" His stomach was twisting itself into a knot and he was filled with dread. From his head to his feet was filled with the sickening dread of knowing what he was going to have to do. "Your family is going to be fine." He tightened his grip when Seth nearly stumbled. "Leave me during the match okay? Leave me like you promised and I'll take care of the rest."

"What are you gonna do?"

"Don't worry about it." Dean didn't want to say. Even though he knew Seth wouldn't remember any of this conversation he just didn't want to say it. He didn't want the immediate argument. It would be pointless because there was only one solution he could think of. He had to let Bray win. To save Seth's family and to stop causing Seth and Roman so much pain and trouble. He wasn't worth all of this. He wasn't worth anything really. But if he could do one thing right it was fix this for everyone else. He knew it would probably make Roman and Seth mad. They would think he made all their efforts to save him be in vain. But they already were. He didn't know why they hadn't realized it before. He belonged in the dark. Bray had said it before. He belonged in the dark and if he could do this one thing to repay Seth for all the efforts he and Roman put in to saving him then he could live with himself in the shadows once more.

* * *


	27. Chapter 27

By Monday Roman felt sicker than he did before Elimination Chamber. Something was up with both Seth and Dean now. The two of them had been quiet the past couple days, not only avoiding him but each other as well. That showed him that whatever it was they weren't up to it together. That didn't really make him feel better though. It was still completely frustrating to not have the two of them confiding in him. He couldn't fix what was wrong if they didn't tell him shit. Of course, with the rate things were going, he wouldn't have been able to fix it even if he did know. They were falling apart at their very seams. But still, he had to at least try to hold them all together. And to have even his efforts be denied didn't set well with him.

They were making their way through the hallway when Seth suddenly stopped. He had been leading the way and his sudden halt made Dean collide into him and Roman into Dean. The curse that almost came out of Roman stopped when he saw the look in Seth's eyes. The younger man had turned around and was looking at Dean with a very troubling expression. Brown eyes held so much regret. He knocked his forehead against Dean's, his fingers taking his jaw and holding it tight. "You know I love you right?"

Dean just stared at him, blue eyes wide as he nodded.

"I mean it." Seth's voice was starting to crack. "No matter what happens out there, I love you."

Roman's stomach twisted into a tight knot. There was something wrong with the way Seth was saying all this. This didn't sound like the reassurance they had been giving Dean. No, this sounded more like an apology. A desperate plea for forgiveness for a sin he was about to commit. Roman wanted to say something. To demand to know what Seth was about to do. Or better yet, he wanted to just run. Forget this whole match coming up in just a few moments. They could just run. Run away and not ever come back. He loved wrestling and everything but he just wanted to get his boys away from all this madness. But he didn't move or speak. He failed himself. He just stared at Seth and Dean, stomach turning and heart thumping wildly in his chest. _Please don't let this go badly. God let us get through this. Fucking please let us get through this._

* * *

The match felt so weird to get through to Dean. Everything was a blur yet it still felt like it was going by so slow. He could barely concentrate on what they were doing in there. The anticipation of Seth's betrayal was driving him mad. He did his best to try not to let it show that he knew. And as far as he could tell he was succeeding. Admittedly, Seth and Roman weren't hard to fool in this case. Seth was too preoccupied with his obvious regret and Roman was just trying to get them through this. But his performance was seemingly fooling Bray and that was all that really mattered. He knew Bray had to believe Seth's betrayal actually broke him. It couldn't be obvious that he knew about it beforehand. If he figured out he knew then he wouldn't believe what he was going to do after the match to be genuine and then there was no telling what would happen to Seth's family then. No, he had to be convincing. He had to make himself the manipulator just this once.

It all came down to a tag. Roman was disposed of and Dean had taken quite a bit of punishment from all three Wyatts. He was crawling for the tag, his hand reaching out for Seth's. Seth wasn't there for him though. He jumped out of the way at the last second, his eyes unable to make contact with Dean's as he went through with it. A sharp pain went through Dean's heart. He didn't have to fake being hurt because he actually was. He felt stupid. He knew it was coming. He fucking knew but in that moment his stare of disbelief was completely real. Maybe a small part of him had just hoped Seth wouldn't do it. Sure he had been in no place not to comply with Bray, but maybe there had just been a small part of Dean that hoped he wouldn't have done it. That he would have come up with a different plan. It was a stupid thought really. So stupid. There was only this. He had to get shafted. He had to take the bullet just like he always had. It wasn't Seth's fault but god did it still hurt.

Roman went after Seth. He was completely taken aback by what Seth had done. The two of them yelled at each other but Dean really didn't hear what was being said. All he could focus on was the feeling of Bray's eyes on him. The hair on the back of his neck stood up on its end and he shivered violently. The match was still going on. Roman came back to him and they tried to make due without Seth. They really did. But it wasn't destined to be. Dean himself fell victim to the Sister Abigail and that was it. The Wyatts won again.

"I told you so darlin. I told you he'd leave you."

Dean kept his eyes shut and tried not to flinch at the words. The lengths Bray had gone to just for the chance to say "I told you so" were really frightening.

"Dean!" Roman's hand found his and made him open his eyes. "Are you alright?"

Dean didn't answer. He could barely look at Roman or the referee. His chest felt so tight that he could barely breathe. He pushed them away as they tried to help him up. The hurt look in Roman's eyes made him feel like a total asshole. He knew he shouldn't have kept Roman in the dark. He hadn't wanted to. But he knew Roman wouldn't let him go through with his plan. And even if he had, he had never exactly found the Samoan to be the most convincing of actors. He would have given them away and there was too much at stake for Seth to allow a weak performance.

He rolled out of the ring and kept his gaze down as he headed up the ramp. Fans were yelling shit at him. Kids wanted a high five, women were screaming at him like he would give them the time of day and dumbass drunks were hurling insults. He wanted to lash out at the whole lot of them. To scream at them and tell them all to go to hell. He wanted to tell everyone to go to hell. The words were at the tip of his tongue but he forced himself not to say them. There was no point. They weren't going anywhere. It was just him. He was the one walking to his own doom and he couldn't stop it. Roman was chasing after him, begging him to stop. That they would find Seth together and straighten this out. But he couldn't stop. He had to just go. He just had to get this over with. It would be better this way.

Or at least that's what he tried to tell himself anyway.

* * *

Seth's chest hurt from all his heaving. He hadn't been able to look anyone after coming backstage. He had just gone straight to the bathroom, hurling up everything he had forced himself to eat earlier. Hot tears slipped past his eyes. The look on Dean's face when he had jumped away was already burned into his brain. He shouldn't have done it. He should have found another way. Why did he have to be so weak? To fail everyone when they needed him the most? He was pathetic. He prided himself on being the brains. The Architect of The Shield. Yet now he had surely broken Dean completely. That look in his eyes when he realized what Seth was doing. Seth had wanted to die right then and there. He was never going to forgive himself for this. It didn't matter that he hadn't really had a choice. He was complete scum for this. He was going straight to hell and he deserved it.

His head was spinning by the time he was done being sick. His hand groped around wildly until he managed to flush away everything he had thrown up. He forced himself to stand back up, silently cursing the fact he didn't have a mint or anything on him. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and turned around. He had been so absorbed in his self hatred that he hadn't felt the eyes on him this whole time. There was no missing a guy like Harper though once one actually looked. He was just standing there, eyes wide and crazed as usual. There was an eerie sort of calm that came from it though. He was just watching Seth, seeing what he would do.

"Where are they?" Seth clenched his fists tightly by his sides. "Where's my family?"

"Safe. For now." Dark eyes narrowed. "Assuming you really didn't tell anyone about the arrangement."

"Did you fucking see the looks on their faces? I didn't tell them shit!" Seth wanted to just lunge and rip Harper's face off with his bare hands. He wanted it so bad his whole body was twitching. "Bray got what he wanted. I want my family now."

"The street rat has to come to him first. Then you get them back."

That wasn't the agreement he remembered hearing. Bray had only said to throw the match. But he wasn't surprised by this addition. "Do you and Rowan get off on this shit too?" He wasn't hiding the bitterness in his voice. Why should he bother? Harper wasn't the evil genius Bray was but he was far from the brutal simpleton that Seth thought Rowan to be. "Fucking ruining our lives? Turning Dean into Bray's personal whore?"

"That little pissant isn't good enough to lick the dirt off my feet." Now it was Harper's turn to show some bitterness. "But Bray loves him and that's that."

"That's that?" Seth stepped forward and got in Harper's face. "You think that little of Dean but you're not going to do anything about it? You're just going to stand by and let someone in that you don't think belongs there?" His mouth twisted into a sneer. "What kind of man are you?"

"One who knows my place."

"Or just a piece of shit coward-"

Harper's fist struck his jaw before he could finish the sentence. He fell to the ground in a heap, too dazed to protect himself from the series of sharp kicks that connected right with his ribs. Each blow took the wind right out of him. "Only a coward would betray his own brothers." Harper reached down and grabbed Seth by the hair. He lifted him up with just the one hand and shoved him up against the wall. Seth tried to break free but he wasn't going anywhere. Harper was much too strong. "If I could have my way you'd get nothing. No family, no brothers...I'd leave you bleeding and broken right here for the whole world to find."

Seth shuddered at the words.

"But Bray is a man of his word. You'll have your family once he has what he wants." His lips turned into what Seth swore was an actual smile. "And if he don't get him then you get to watch them die." He chuckled while Seth wished he would just die right on the spot. Hell would actually be better than all of this.

* * *

"Dean! Dean you can't do this." Roman was desperate now. He had been chasing Dean through the whole arena, trying to fix the damage that had been done. He still couldn't believe what Seth did. He was furious and disappointed and just so confused. The stuff Seth had been yelling at him didn't make sense. He said he was tired of being the glue and that he and Dean had to sort their own issues out. Maybe that made sense for the people watching at home, given that there had been such recent dissention between him and Dean. But in private they had been united ever since this Bray bullshit had really kicked in. And yet Seth just walked away after they admittedly screwed up in not being there for a tag? No. Something was up. Something else was at work but he couldn't stop to find out what that was yet. Not with Dean looking at the piece of paper he found in his bag that was surely from Bray.

"Leave me alone Rome." Dean gathered all his stuff up, nearly dropping his bag his hands were shaking so much.

"No!" Roman snatched the bag away from him. "You're not doing this. You can't go back to him. Not after all he's done."

"Ro-"

"No!" Roman grabbed him by the arms and shook him hard. "He had to set this up somehow. H-h-h-he had to blackmail Seth somehow. Seth would never do this to you. He loves you he loves you. I love you."

Dean looked down. Just looking at his face let Roman see how much he had fallen apart. How much he was still falling apart. "I know why he did it." His voice was barely more than a whisper. "That's why I have to do this." He snatched his bag back from Roman. "Find him. Tell him I forgive him." He smiled sadly. "It's not like this was really going to end any other way. We had to stop fooling ourselves at some point."

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Roman was so lost. He had no idea why Dean was saying these things and to be honest, it was pissing him off. Why was he the one in the dark here? Had he really failed them all so much that they were just both shutting him out?

"He don't know that I know. Tell him I do." Dean swallowed hard and started to back away. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry just don't hate me."

"Hate you? Dean what the fuck-no!" Roman tried to grab him but Dean managed to evade him. He got out of the room and started to run. Roman chased after him but he was too slow this time. Dean was gone, leaving him to try to sort out what the fuck just happened.

* * *

Every moment that passed felt like a lifetime. Bray sat in his chair, rocking back and forth slowly as he waited in his hotel room. He had once taken such pride in his patience. He really had. But now he was just going crazy. He couldn't stand just sitting here. Every moment that Dean wasn't here made Bray believe he wasn't coming. It was a stupid and childish thought process. Dean was going to come. He knew his little lamb quite well and he knew he would answer his call. But there were still these nagging paranoid thoughts in his head. What if Dean didn't come? What if he had been wrong? What if there was no getting his little lamb back? That thought scared him. And he hated it. He hated the cold fear that filled his chest at the mere thought of not having Dean with him. This is what the other man had done to him. He had gotten into his head, making it so there was barely room for anything else. He wanted to possess him. To pull him into his arms and not give him back. The rest of the world didn't deserve him. Only he deserved a creature so beautifully broken.

He tapped his fingers against the arm of his chair. Pinky, ring, middle, index, thumb. Thumb, index, middle, ring, pinky. Over and over again he moved his fingers, focusing on that as opposed to letting his emotions run away from him. Rowan was standing out in the hallway, ready to give Dean the key and send word back to Luke so they could direct Seth back to his family. The Rollins clan was in one piece. There may had been an incident with Luke and Seth's oldest sister but that wasn't for Bray to care about too much. If he wasn't a man of his word he would have told his boys to destroy Seth's family completely just for the fun of seeing his face when he found the results.

The click of the doorknob turning made his head snap in that direction. Dean slowly shuffled into the room. He threw his bag down and kicked the door shut behind him. His hair was starting to dry, leaving it frizzy and curly. He tried to keep his eyes down but even from across the room Bray could see how red and puffy they were. There was a split second that Bray felt guilty. It was because of him those tears had fallen. But as quickly as that came, he pushed it away. No. It wasn't his fault. Seth had made his choice. He had created the choice but Seth was the one who cast Dean aside.

Bray almost got up to go to him. To wrap him up in his arms and pull him in tight. To stop him before anymore tears could be shed. But he made himself stay seated. Instead of going to him, he motioned for Dean to come to him. Dean not only obeyed, but climbed on to his lap, straddling him and resting his arms over his shoulders. "I told you he would hurt you." Bray nearly smiled as he felt Dean's fingers clasp on the back of his neck. "I tried to warn you." He reached up and gently brushed his thumbs under Dean's eyes. "Do you think I really wanted this to happen? I wanted you to see the truth before it smacked you in the face."

Dean sniffled. He reminded Bray of a kicked puppy. He had put himself out there for Seth and Roman, fighting tooth and nail saying they both loved him. And now Seth had just left him. He looked so heartbroken and another flash of guilt went through Bray. He didn't want his little lamb to be hurting. It actually pained him to see how red his eyes were. To feel him trembling even as he was being held. This shouldn't be affecting him so much. He had Dean right where he wanted him. He was absolutely thrilled about it. He knew that for certain. He had what was rapidly becoming his whole world in his hands right now but he still didn't want him to be upset. He had to make it better.

"Tell me you love me."

Dean's words caught Bray completely off guard but he didn't hesitate to respond. "I love you."

"Tell me you need me."

"I always need you."

The affirmation was all Dean needed. He kissed Bray hard, his fingers entwining themselves in Bray's hair in the process. Once again Bray was caught off guard but that didn't stop him from returning the kiss eagerly. He could feel Dean's desperation. His search for peace and sanctuary. For love that wouldn't just up and leave him. Such a lost and broken soul and he was perfect. Everything about him was perfect. The way he kissed, the little moans that escaped him as Bray's hands slid under his shirt, the hitch in his breath as Bray's mouth traveled down to his throat. He was perfect and now Bray had him all to himself. The final surrender was happening in that very moment. No more cat and mouse games. He had to seal the deal completely and he was planning on doing just that.

He locked his arms tightly around Dean's body so they wouldn't have to part as he got off the chair. He walked to the bed and tried to gently lay Dean down on it. He wanted this time to be different. He wanted to take care of the other man. To show he was the one who really loved him and not the other two. But Dean held on tight and he ended up falling right on top of him. Not that it was minded in the very least. Dean's lips were back on his, swallowing down any apology he could have given. He almost laughed. The desperation had consumed Dean and was taking him along as well. Hands were ripping at clothes, struggling to get rid of the offending items. Every piece was thrown back so hard it hit the wall. Dean's shoes hit particularly hard and the smaller man jumped.

"Relax." Bray started kissing his way across Dean's throat once more. "I got you." He sucked on the spot right below his Adam's apple before nipping at it gently. He felt Dean's harsh gasp and he chuckled. "So perfect darlin." His lips move down to Dean's collarbone. His tongue traced across it gently. "My perfect little lamb."

Dean let out a choked noise. Bray wasn't sure if it was supposed to be a gasp or a whimper or some words that died in his throat. It didn't particularly matter to him. His focus remained on kissing his way down the body he now knew better than his own. He had never taken the time to explore anyone else's body like this. He had taken countless women of his family into his bed, sired their children, but didn't know them like this. Same for the other men he had taken. It was only Dean he knew like this. Only for Dean did he kiss his way across his chest, shaped from the workouts Seth and Roman forced him to do. He circled his nipples with his tongue, working them into hardened nubs so the tiniest of bites had Dean nearly screaming.

"I've barely done anything yet darlin." Bray gave him a smirk before continuing on downwards. He traded off bites and kisses interchangeably, sucking on the pale, scarred flesh. All the cuts he had given him looked so beautiful. He wanted to reopen them. He wanted to make all knew ones and lick the whole mess clean but he couldn't. Not tonight. There would be a time and a place to do that again but it wouldn't be now. Instead he wrapped a hand around Dean's cock and stroked it slowly.

"Fucking shit..." Dean swallowed hard and arched his hips up. Bray's grip was too loose. It was only enough to tease him rather than actually get him off. "Please..."

"Please what?" Bray smirked as Dean groaned. "What is it that you want little lamb?"

Dean's answer was a whine. That was good enough for Bray this time. He moved his hand to the base of Dean's shaft and wrapped his mouth around the rest of it. This normally wasn't his type of thing. He would have rather have Dean on his knees, his own cock shoved down that fuckable mouth. But just like cutting Dean open, this wasn't the time or place for it. He had to make sure he kept what he wanted and honey was a much better way to lure and seal him in than anything else.

His mouth sucked harder, his tongue swiping across the slit every time he moved his head up. Dean tasted good at least. And the little whimpers and moans that came pouring out of him made it really easy to forget that he didn't like doing this. His free hand slid up Dean's body, his fingers going right up to Dean's lips. Dean took the digits in his mouth, sucking on them eagerly and getting them nice and wet before Bray took them away. He positioned them at Dean's entrance, teasing his hole lightly before pushing them inside one by one.

"Fuuuuck!" Dean gripped the bed sheets for dear life. Knuckles turned white and hips nearly thrusted upwards violently. "Fuck fuck fuck. Bray please..."

Bray smirked. He was nearly coming undone. He moved his mouth away off his cock, not about to let him cum just yet. He kept his fingers moving inside him as he kissed his way back up his body. "Look at me little lamb." His teeth found Dean's jaw, biting down until he complied. "You know I love you. You know I need you. But what about you?" He pushed his fingers deeper, working them almost roughly now. He wasn't good at being gentle for very long. "Do you need me? Do you love me?"

Dean stared at him, eyes wide and body trembling. His response was a nod but that wasn't enough. Bray put a hand around Dean's throat. He didn't squeeze but he let him know that he could. He could squeeze the life right out of him if he desired.

"Tell me darlin. You're not the only one who needs to hear them."

Dean sucked in a harsh breath. "I need you." He swallowed nervously, his body trembling again. "I l-l-love you."

And there it was. The three magic words. Bray kissed him hard, slipping his fingers out of his body to quickly replace them with his cock. Dean moaned loudly, his nails clawing for grip against his back. Bray stopped, just taking in the tight walls that squeezed around his cock so perfectly. He pressed his forehead against Dean's. Blue eyes locked on to his and he saw how desperately Dean was looking to him for approval. He wanted him to just make it all go away. The hurt and the pain and there was a moment he was just completely overrun with emotion. He caressed Dean's face gently, words failing him for once. There was a lot he wanted to say but he just couldn't start. Instead he just started moving slowly, his lips covering Dean's, his tongue exploring the inside of his mouth greedily. He took one of Dean's hands in his and laced their fingers. Dean was his. That was the only thing he could focus on. He was his and he wasn't letting him go. Not now, not ever again.


	28. Chapter 28

Time stopped having any sort of meaning for Dean. It all melted more and more away with every moment that passed. His world had become everything that was on that bed. His limbs were weak and shaky, leaving him unable to do much in the way of moving. Bray had fucked him until he couldn't take it and then kept right on going. Dean hadn't thought he would ever stop. But even self-proclaimed gods needed a rest. He was staring up at the ceiling, his eyes holding a very distant and faraway look to them. He held Dean tightly against his side, not letting him move the slightest inch without permission. Even if he could move though, Dean wouldn't. What was the point? He had nowhere to go. He had given himself back to Bray. Seth's family would be okay now and so would Seth and Roman. Bray had no reason to go after them anymore. They could all be okay. Maybe even he would be okay. It certainly didn't feel all that bad right now. Bray hadn't really played any mind games with him so far. Not unless they were counting getting him to say he loved him.

_And you did. You fucking said it. You really did it now._

Dean shook the voice off. He had to do it. He had to make himself as convincing as possible. He knew what Bray had expected. He was supposed to be broken. Completely vulnerable and crawling back ever so meekly. And he thought he had done a convincing job. It didn't mean he loved Bray. No. That idea was ridiculous. After everything Bray had put him through there was no way he could ever actually love him. No. No way. He couldn't even let himself think like that. There was no way there was a sense of comfort coming from Bray's grasp. There was no way he liked how Bray's fingers kept finding their way to his hair and playing with it softly. And he only rested his head on Bray's chest because he needed a pillow, not because he liked the sound of his heart beating inside his chest.

_Look at you. You knew that fucking betrayal was coming but you didn't even try to think of another way out. You were just looking for an excuse to be back here._

No. No way. That wasn't what he did at all. He did this because he had no choice. This was to protect everyone else. He couldn't do a lot of things right in his life but he was right with this. Himself for Seth and Roman. It didn't mean any part of him liked being here. Maybe he was drawn to Bray, but that didn't mean he liked him, let alone love him. He just said what Bray wanted to hear. That was it.

_And maybe if you keep saying that you'll actually believe it._

Dean barely bit back a groan. If that voice didn't shut the hell up soon he was going to scream.

_You do love him. That's why he's got this hold on you. You know he won't ever leave you. How long did you really think Seth and Roman would have included you before slipping back into just being the two of them anyway?_

No. It had been different this time.

_Because they felt sorry for you._

Dean bit his tongue. The voice in his head was starting to sound like Bray and he didn't like it. He didn't like it all.

_They pitied you. They felt obligated to take care of you._

No. They could have just let Bray have him to begin with. They could have not even tried to figure out what was going on with him. They cared. They loved him.

_Not as much as they love each other. Not as much as he loves you._

Why the fuck did he have a fucking advocate for Bray in his god damn head?

_Because you love him._

No.

_Because you need him._

No.

_Because you belong here. Because you're so weak and pathetic. Because you need someone who will consume you. Dominate you because you're too much a fucking screw up for anything normal. You need him. You love him. You belong here."_

"Stop it," he muttered. He forced himself to sit up. He startled Bray out of his thoughts but he hardly cared. "Stop it." He smacked himself on the side of his head, wanting more than anything to just shut the voice up. He didn't want to hear these things. He hated that he did this shit to himself. All this self loathing, this self doubt...that more than anything was what gave Bray his power over him. He didn't know how to stop though. Hating himself was the only thing he had ever known. So many years of having it beat into his head that he was nothing. That he was worthless and trash and not worthy of anything. His time with Seth and Roman, who tried so hard to make him think differently, paled in comparison to that. They couldn't just undo that damage. Bray couldn't either but unlike them, Bray wasn't trying. Bray wanted him to stay broken. He wanted him just like this. Confused and conflicted, so easy to pick apart and to make whatever he wanted out of him.

"Little lamb.." Bray tried to grab his wrists but Dean jerked himself away. "Darlin please." He tried to grab him again but Dean just tried to roll off the bed instead. "Hey!"

Dean yelped as Bray yanked him back by the hair. His eyes involuntarily watered but the sudden pain cleared his head. His eyes locked on to Bray's and his breath caught in his throat. Bray's eyes were blazing, demanding that Dean stop his shit and come back to him. Dean forced himself to swallow the lump in his throat and breathe. The rush of oxygen into his lungs made him feel light-headed but Bray held him tight, not letting him fall back.

"Easy now little lamb." Bray lightly ran his fingers down Dean's cheek. "Take it easy." He moved his fingers to Dean's cheek and gripped it tightly. "You don't need those demons now darlin." He was practically cooing at Dean like one would a small child. "I got you."

Dean relaxed at his words. He couldn't tell if he made himself relax because it was just easier to obey or if Bray had actually soothed him. He wasn't sure if he wanted to know. He hated this whole feeling he had. He wanted to be grounded in something. To have his own head firmly on his own shoulders and not lose himself completely. He wanted to get his own head above the water yet at the same time he wanted to just drown. He wanted to just go down once and for all because now that he made this choice it would be so much easier to just let himself go. To be the little lamb. To be Bray's whore because god knows he does not feel like an equal partner in this thing. Most of all, he just wanted to be able to make up his mind one way or the other because this war he had going on with himself was too much.

"Stay with me now darlin." Bray let go of his jaw so he could kiss it. "Stay right with me." His hands moved to Dean's back, rubbing up and down it firmly. "Just rest now. All you got to do is get through tomorrow and then we'll go home."

Dean tried not to shudder at the news. He knew what that meant. Back to the Wyatt compound he was going. He hated how Bray didn't even ask him. He was just telling him this shit and expected him to go along with it. For a moment he considered arguing. He really did want to argue but he was too tired to make the effort. He didn't think it would do any good anyway. Bray would just get what he wanted one way or another.

"My boys will grab your stuff while we head back. I'm assuming it's not all at your boys' place is it?"

"No...can I ask you something?"

"What?"

"How did you ever get in my apartment in the first place? And fucking give me an answer this time."

Bray smirked. "I stole the key you gave Seth and made a copy."

"...Oh." Somehow that very sensible explanation was not what he was expecting to hear. Given that Bray was who he was, he had expected a grand tale of sorcery or voodoo or whatever it was cult people did. But there was just a very simple explanation with scary undertones. He could just imagine Bray laying in wait, just waiting for the right moment to put his plots into action. He suddenly wondered just when exactly Bray got the idea to take Seth's family and force this whole betrayal thing. The question was on the tip of his tongue. He wanted to ask. He wanted to ask so badly but he couldn't. He was too tired. He was physically, emotionally and mentally fucking drained. All he could do was just let Bray lay him back down, his eyes drifting shut and allowing him to fall into a world where no voices, no madness, no nothing. Just a little peace to make it through the night.

* * *

Roman called over a dozen times through the night but Seth didn't get around to calling him back until almost five in the morning. He had to drive all the way to Detroit to collect his family from three of Wyatt's nameless goons. The four and a half hour drive was bad enough in itself due to the panic attack he was having the whole way. Getting there and finding his mother and sisters completely traumatized had only made him feel even worse. His father had been beat up pretty bad, his mother looked like she got roughed up too, and while his two younger sisters only seemed scared, his older sister Tina wasn't even speaking or looking at him. He had tried to talk to her, to find out if they did something to her and nearly got his head taken off. He tried asking the others but they all said they didn't know. His gut was telling him what it probably was but he didn't even want to let the word creep into his brain. He had to push it aside, get them somewhere safe to stay until he could take them home and then he had to call Roman.

"WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU?"

Seth nearly jumped out of his skin. He had expected yelling, but never, EVER in his entire life had he heard someone scream at him like the way Roman was now. He quickly had to bail out of the room, Roman's voice so loud that his family would be overhearing their entire conversation if he stayed put.

"I SAID WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU? YOU FUCKING GOD DAMN LITTLE SHIT HEAD!"

"Roman!"

"I SHOULD FUCKING STRANGLE YOU!"

"Roman please-"

"HOW DARE YOU? HOW FUCKING DARE YOU? WHAT THE FUCK WERE YOU DOING? WHAT THE FUCK WERE YOU DOING? DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE FUCK YOU DID?"

"I'm sorry!" Seth stamped his foot like he was a damn child. He was going to wake up someone and get his whole family kicked out of the hotel they were now in but he didn't care in that particular moment. He could not handle Roman screaming at him like this. He felt shitty enough as it was he did not need it to be made worse.

"HE'S WITH HIM! HE FUCKING WENT BACK TO HIM BECAUSE OF YOU! BECAUSE YOU FUCKING LEFT!"

Seth closed his eyes. Bray got exactly what he wanted. Fucking Wyatt had won not only this round but possibly the war. "I didn't want to do this..."

"THEN WHY DID YOU? WHY DID YOU FUCKING LIE TO DEAN'S FUCKING FACE AND THEN STAB HIM IN THE BACK?"

Seth's eyes snapped back open. "Don't you fucking DARE say that shit to me! Don't you fucking dare!"

"I'll fucking say-"

"They took my family!"

Roman went quiet.

"My fucking family Roman!" Seth stormed down the hall and ducked around to where the vending machines were. "Bray fucking kidnapped my family and fucking made me do this shit. He was going to KILL them. KILL THEM."

"Why didn't you fucking tell me?"

"Because he would hurt them god damn it."

"How would he have known?"

"Because you would have either gone in guns a fucking blazing or some shit to give it the fuck away that I told you!" Seth ran a hand over his face. "That shit I said before the match was me trying to like tell Dean without fucking telling him."

"He told me he knew."

"WHAT?"

"He said he knew but you didn't know it. I had to tell you that he forgives you. That we had to stop fooling ourselves that this was going to end up any other way."

Seth was completely floored by those words. Dean had known? Dean had known what he was going to do? But how? He hadn't told him. Unless...shit. The night Dean had been drinking with him. He must have let it slip then. Dean had been feeding him a lot of shots. Fuck. He had fallen for Dean's number one interrogation tactic. God damn it. "That means...oh my god..."

"He went back to Bray willingly. To fucking save your family."

Seth didn't even know what to say. He didn't know what to think. He just stood there, wishing he could go back and stop this from happening. He should have tried harder. He should have come up with a plan so Dean didn't have to resort to this. He couldn't even think to be upset that Dean hadn't let them on that he knew until afterwards. Dean just was not the type to ever ask for help from anyone. He never had been. Nobody ever used to give it to him and Seth knew that just because he and Roman were eager to do anything for him didn't mean he believed it.

"Seth?" Roman's voice was almost gone from all the screaming he just did. "Seth? Are you still there?"

Seth swallowed hard. He fucked up so bad. He had let Dean fall right back into Bray's trap. All that he and Roman had been trying to do to help him had slipped away. Dean was back in the hands of a deranged psychopath that stalked him and raped him and Seth had let it happen. He had just stood by uselessly and let it all happen.

"Seth? Fucking answer me." Roman was getting angry again. "Tell me where you are. I'll find you. We'll figure this out."

"I can't."

"Seth please..."

"There's nothing to figure out. It's ruined. I fucking ruined all of it." Seth hung up without any more warning and smashed his fist into the wall. It didn't make him feel any better; in fact, now he just had a couple of broken knuckles to worry about. Fucking excellent.


	29. Chapter 29

The tension in Hunter and Stephanie's office could not have been any higher even if any of the people in the room tried to make it so. Hunter sat behind his desk while Stephanie stood by his side, neither of them happy with the four men in the room. Sitting in the chair to the left was Roman, who had literally arrived at the arena at about six in the morning and just waited in the parking lot for Seth and Dean to show up. His eyes were bloodshot and he looked ready to just fall out of his chair in exhaustion. Seth didn't look that much better. He was in the middle, the bags under his eyes so noticeable it was going to take a ton of makeup to mask it. Dean sat on his other side, his eyes down on his feet. He couldn't bring himself to look at anyone. He had dreaded coming here today, even before he found out about this meeting. Bray had been gloating from the moment they woke up this morning. He was still going strong, his fingers drumming against Dean's shoulders as he hummed a little tune under his breath. Dean didn't have to look up to know that Seth and Roman were giving him absolutely murderous looks. He didn't have to look up to know that Stephanie was not pleased about this meeting was being crashed. And he certainly didn't have to look up to know that the only reason Stephanie wasn't kicking Bray out on his ass was because Hunter was actually amused by what he was seeing. The son of a bitch was laughing about it.

"I thought you were the one in league with the Wyatts," Hunter said to Seth.

Seth's death glare was now surely going to Hunter. "Nobody here is in league with this bastard." His voice was tight, barely keeping himself in check. Dean knew he had to be gritting his teeth. He always did when he was really, really mad but couldn't scream.

"I wouldn't want him or the brute anyway." Dean could just fucking hear the smirk in Bray's voice. "I got everything I want right here in my hands."

Dean was wrong. The tension could be higher with just the right amount of effort.

Stephanie cleared her throat. "Bray, as...touching as it is that you've found someone-"

"Touching?" Uh oh. Roman's hoarse voice just amped up the tension even more. How had Dean thought it couldn't feel any worse than it did? "Do you have _any_ idea what this sick bastard has done lately?"

"I'm sure they do." Bray spoke before either Stephanie or Hunter could respond. "These walls do have a way of talking." He let out a low chuckle. "We could tell them anyway. Why don't you do it Mr. Reigns? Or how about you Mr. Rollins? Hmmm?" He chuckled again. "Or I could do it. I don't think you two would do it justice."

"Gentlemen!" Stephanie's voice was sharp, heading off any sort of fight for at least a few seconds. "we're not here to discuss your personal lives. We're here to discuss business an Bray, while it's always a pleasure to see you, this business doesn't concern you. It concerns Dean, Seth and Roman."

"Oh but you see, my little lamb's business is my business." Bray's hands slid down to Dean's chest. "Especially when we've got people so willing to betray him."

Dean finally chanced a look at Seth. Roman had to literally grab the younger man so he wouldn't lunge at Bray. A glance up at Bray let Dean see his gleeful grin. He was loving this way too much.

"Dean, would you please let Bray know he's not needed?" Stephanie was losing her patience. "We don't have all night."

"So why don't you just say it and be done?" Bray leaned down and rested his chin on the top of Dean's head. "You're the one wasting time worrying about me. I'll get him to tell me every little word anyway."

All eyes were on Dean now. They were just waiting, wanting to see what he would do. He shifted around in his seat. Fuck this god damn pressure. Why did he have to tell Bray to get out? It wasn't like he was going to be listened to. "Why the fuck are we here?" He decided to just ignore their stares and get straight to the real point.

Hunter gave him a rather unpleasant look for not cooperating with Stephanie but decided not to say anything at the moment. "Look guys," he included Seth and Roman in his gaze now "I don't know if you realize this but you serve as an asset to us. An asset that is only good if you guys are all on the same page." He pointed to Seth. "I don't care why you walked away last night." He pointed to Roman and Dean next. "I don't care if you guys have some sort of problem still." He pointed to Bray and Dean. "I don't really care what you two together or what anyone thinks of it." He finally swept his hand at Dean, Seth and Roman. "The only thing I care about is you doing what's best for business. And you're going to do so tonight."

"You're going to go out to that ring and hash it out," Stephanie added. "You can spin your reasons however you want. But by the end of it you will stand together as a unit and be the asset we know you can be." Her eyes turned ice cold. "And if you can't work it out, then we'll have to start seeing you as a liability. And boys, you don't want that."

Roman and Seth exchanged looks. Dean was nodding already, just wanting to get out of there. He didn't want to fight with Seth and Roman. He didn't feel like dealing having the fury of the Authority coming down on him when he had enough on his plate to begin with. He just wanted to play the good, obedient little dog for once and be on his way. But Bray wasn't about to have Stephanie's threat be the last word. He took the words directed at the trio as a direct threat to Dean and before Dean could stop him he was walking out from behind the chair and getting in Stephanie's face.

"What do you think you're-"

"Sssshhhhhh." Bray put his finger on her lips to silence her.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing Wyatt?" Hunter stood up, ready to force Bray back if needed.

Bray smirked. "Look. You two can play your games with Daniel Bryan all day. You can play them with the rat and the brute but my little lamb is not yours to play with." The smirk disappeared and his eyes blazed so furiously that even Hunter, the Cerebral Assassin himself was rooted to the spot. "You mess with him then you mess with me. And if you mess with me I will destroy everything and everyone that you love and I will make you watch as it all burns." The smirk suddenly returned and he lightly brushed his thumb over Stephanie's chin. "Just keep that in mind."

Roman and Seth were absolutely appalled by the threat. After all Bray had done, they clearly did not think he had any right to threaten someone over hurting Dean. Dean just sat there in shock, immediately thinking that both he and Bray were going to get fired. But the power couple from hell was silent for once. They let Bray back off and only watched as Dean was grabbed by the wrist and literally yanked out of his chair.

"Hey!" Roman sprung up to his feet and grabbed Dean's other wrist. "What the fuck is that shit? You don't just fucking drag him around like that."

Bray's eyes narrowed. "How I handle little lamb is none of your business."

"It is my fucking business." Roman's grip was nearly as painful as Bray's was. Dean tried to slip himself free from both of them but nobody was letting go. "You think you fucking won Wyatt?"

"I won before you even started fighting," Bray replied. His eyes were blazing again. This was about to turn ugly really fast. "You not knowing when to leave well enough alone doesn't change that fact."

"You're fucking sick. You need help."

"I've got everything I need right here." Bray pet the side of Dean's face gently. "Your boy gave him to me on a silver platter." He peered around Roman to grin at Seth "I do thank you for that by the way."

"I hate you," Seth hissed. "I fucking HATE you."

"Hate me all you want. Don't change the fact that your boy loves me." His eyes went to Dean, who had gone completely pale. "He said it just last night. Hell, he was even screaming it this morning."

The words hit Dean like a ton of bricks. He wanted lightning to just come on down and strike him dead. His entire face had gone red. Bray had woken him up with gentle touches, coaxing him into a frenzy that left him saying anything and everything Bray wanted to hear. That hadn't fucking meant Bray was supposed to blab it to everyone. But of course that's what he did. He just had to twist the knife in deeper. He had to just stick it to Seth and Roman, who both looked stricken by the words.

Dean yanked himself free from both Bray and Roman. He rushed out of the room without saying a word. He couldn't stand being in there for another second. He heard his name being yelled but he ignored it. He had to just go. He didn't know where he was going to go. There was nowhere to run to. Not unless he just left and never came back. That idea right there was majorly tempting. He could just go and never come back. Where would he go there? Somewhere warm. That was a must. He couldn't fucking stand the cold. He had grown up with it in Ohio and now hated it after living in Florida and Nevada for so long.

"Little lamb!" Bray's voice cut through his thoughts. Despite Dean having the head start the bastard was already catching up to him. "Little lamb!"

Dean spun around. Rage rose up inside of him. Forgetting himself completely, he waited until Bray was within reach before his hand swung and connected with his face in a resounding slap.

Bray froze, his eyes widening in both anger and shock.

"Why the FUCK did you have to do that?" Dean couldn't even begin to care what that slap was going to cost him later. "Isn't fucking having me enough? You have to fucking humiliate me while you're at it?"

"I wasn't trying to humiliate you." Bray lightly rubbed his cheek, which was already turning red from the slap. "I was just proving a point."

"Proving a point?" Dean laughed despite not finding anything remotely funny about this. "Are you fucking kidding me? You won! You got me! Why does this have to be a fucking pissing contest? This isn't a fucking game. I'm not a fucking game fucking stop playing with me!"

"Sssshhh little lamb..." Bray grabbed Dean's wrists before he could start swinging again. "Come here. Calm down." He pushed Dean back into the wall, both oblivious to the fact that there were people watching. Crew members, a few of the divas, Seth and Roman, who had come chasing after Dean as well. All of them were watching but were now going completely unnoticed. Bray and Dean had fallen into their own world.

"You probably got us both fired you fucking son of a bitch." Bray's threat to Stephanie was weighing heavily on Dean's mind. He didn't like a single member of the McMahon family but even he wasn't even crazy enough to come at them like Bray had done. He wasn't looking to get fired or shafted the way Daniel Bryan constantly was.

Bray shook his head. "They won't do shit. Not where I'm involved."

"Why not? Are you fucking working for them too?" Dean gulped as his wrists were rather roughly pinned down to his side. Surely payback from the slap but damn did it hurt. It hurt a lot more than that slap surely did.

"I haven't sold my soul to those devils."

"Then how do you fucking know they won't fuck us over?"

"Because they only pick on those they see weaker than them." Bray released one of Dean's wrist so he could pet his face. "They're bullies. Entitled brats used to getting what they want. Daniel Bryan is their favorite target because they're too arrogant to see that they're only fueling him. They're creating their own downfall." He chuckled. "But even they know their end would be so much more painful if they crossed me."

"Because you're a fucking psycho." Dean wasn't shocked when all he got out of that was a laugh. It was almost a giggle actually. "I'm not joking. You really need some fucking help."

"I'm perfectly fine darlin." Bray gripped Dean's jaw and kissed him hard. "It's you we need to worry about. Little rats want to pull you back. But just because Mommy and Daddy demand you play nice doesn't mean anything has actually changed." He put his hand over Dean's mouth before he could even think to argue. "I'm the only one who's really here for you. They'll still only hurt you in the end. Either the rat will betray you again or the brute will take his turn. I'm the only one who cares about you. You understand me little lamb?"

Dean nodded, playing along like he had been every time Bray brought this up (which was becoming an awful lot).

"Good boy."

* * *

The Shield Summit as it was called accomplished what Stephanie and Hunter wanted. Seth blamed recent problems between Dean and Roman for his walk out and said he wanted to bring them back together. Arguing ensued, Seth and Dean slapped each other around but by the end they were standing tall and united once more. On the inside though, Seth was screaming. None of them had really had a chance to talk backstage. Bray had been hovering over Dean in the most possessive manner possible and Roman, despite apologizing for the way he yelled at Seth, was still completely hurt by being left in the dark on the entire situation with his family. They needed to really hash this shit out and they needed to do it fast before Bray's grip on Dean became worse than it already was.

A small break was afforded to them once they got backstage. Bray was off filming a promo on John Cena and had Harper and Rowan with him. Knowing they wouldn't have too long, Seth and Roman marched Dean to their locker room and locked the door behind them. Dean tried to say something but Seth cut him off with a tight hug around his neck. He didn't know whether it was because he was so tired but the emotion was just running extra high. What Roman had told him was still haunting him. "You knew." His voice was tight, displaying the fact he was about ready to just break down completely. "Roman said you knew."

Dean stiffened. "Yeah um...yeah I did."

Seth pulled back so he could look Dean in the eye. "Why didn't you help me figure out another way? Why didn't you tell Roman? Why did you just fucking go back? You can't do this to yourself. You fucking can't do this. Not after everything."

Dean shook his head. "Roman sucks as an actor I couldn't-"

"I do not suck!" Roman was completely insulted and possibly pouting but nobody in the room was about to point that out.

"And what fucking other way was there?" Dean ignored Roman in favor of responding to Seth's other questions. "It was your family man. There was no other choice."

"There's always another choice!"

"Well why didn't YOU think of it?" Dean pushed Seth back. "You're the master fucking planner around here. Why couldn't you fucking think of a way to save your family and me?"

"Guys please." Roman had to cut in. He saw the pain on both their faces and couldn't stand it. "We can't do this."

"There was no other way." Dean continued to ignore Roman to focus on Seth. "That's why you didn't think of another way. That's why I couldn't. There is no other way. Bray has to win. He gets me and you guys are safe. Your families are safe. Everyone important is safe."

_Except you._ It fucking killed Seth that Dean had thrown himself under the bus so completely. "We can't let you do this."

"It's done."

"Damn it Dean! How the fuck are we supposed to just sit back and let you tell that fucker you love him?"

Dean flinched. "Don't throw that shit in my face. Don't fucking throw that in my face."

"Nobody is throwing anything in your face," Roman said gently. "We're just worried. You can't be saying that type of shit to him. You're digging yourself deeper and are going to make it that much harder to get away."

"He's not going to fucking let me get away!" Dean gripped his hair, nearly ripping some right out by the roots. "Don't you fucking get it? I'm his. That's it. That's the fucking end of discussion. He's sick I know it but I can handle it. It doesn't mean I love him back or whatever."

Seth wanted to believe that. He really did. But there was a way Dean's voice cracked that stopped him. A little shift of Dean's eyes that chilled him. Maybe Dean didn't want to love Bray but there was surely a part of him that did. The realization felt ridiculous and Seth tried to shake it off. He couldn't though. Stockholm Syndrome. Those were the words springing to mind. After everything that had happened combined with Bray's uncanny ability to influence people and Dean's deep rooted insecurities and belief he deserved nothing truly good for him, it made sense. Dean was giving in to appease Bray. He was giving in to his way of thinking. Letting himself be the little lamb led by the wolf in sheep's clothing.

"I gotta go." Dean eyed the clock on the wall nervously. "He's going to be looking for me."

"Dean wait-" Roman tried to grab him but Dean ripped himself away. He fumbled with the lock on the door, cursing until he finally got it open. Seth closed his eyes, unable to watch him walk away. He wanted to stop him but there was no way to do it. Not now when Dean was so insistent that this was the only way. They had to figure out a way to make Dean see there were other options. That being Bray Wyatt's prize was not the end of the line for him. And then they had to hope Dean would even begin to accept the idea.


	30. Chapter 30

His fingernails were nearly bleeding from how much he had bit them but Dean wasn't stopping. It was the only alternative he had to smoking. Harper and Rowan hadn't grabbed his cigarettes for him and there was absolutely no way for him to get any. They were in the middle of nowhere and Bray wasn't about to drive him to get any. He didn't like his smoking or drinking, which mean sobriety and lack of nicotine were going to be a regular part of his life. The mere thought of it was awful. And to make it worse, there was literally nothing but Bray to distract him. No TV, no way to charge his phone so he could sneak a text to Seth and Roman; there was nothing. He didn't know how he was going to stand it.

He finally moved his hand away from his mouth and pulled his knees up to his chest. He was sitting out on the back porch, watching Bray preach to his family. They were all on their knees around him, looking up at him with pure adoration. Dean couldn't hear exactly what was being said but he did hear the rise and fall of Bray's voice. He hadn't wanted to come any closer and surprisingly he hadn't been made to do so. Maybe it was a reward for giving in. Or maybe he wasn't wanted over there. He knew Harper and Rowan were pissed he was back. He couldn't imagine any of the others being thrilled. Bray had been keeping him away from everyone but there was a good chance that had to do with the fact that Bray just didn't like sharing. He didn't get to be a part of the little community Bray had built in this backwoods hell. No, he got to be truly isolated.

He tilted his head back and looked up at the sky. It didn't feel too bad out here. The sun was shining and the breeze was gentle. The wood underneath him wasn't exactly the most comfortable of things but he wasn't looking to move. He was too lazy and they didn't exactly look safe to sit on anyway. No, he was just fine where he was. He did wonder how much longer he would have to sit out here though. There was no telling how long Bray would be talking for. He could go on for hours and hours and nobody would stop him. They all loved him and he loved them right back. Maybe he was just thinking crazy. He probably was. But the way he would look at them and talk to them had such a fucking warmth to it. A genuine warmth, not just to keep them lured in like the rational part of his brain tried to tell him it was.

"What are you doing over here?"

The little voice nearly gave Dean a heart attack. He turned to see Isabella standing there. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a rather messy braid. She clutched a doll against her chest and the dress it wore actually matched the blue and white lace one she had on.

"What?" He just blinked at her stupidly.

"Why aren't you with us?" She looked back to where the rest of the family was. "Everyone always goes to listen to Brother Bray."

Dean's lips twitched. "I hear more than enough out of him as it is. Don't really need more." He shifted around, his hands absently rubbing his shins. "Why aren't you over there?"

"Because you're over here."

Well shit. That's not what he expected or wanted to hear. Kids freaked him out. He felt completely uncomfortable whenever they came near him. He didn't know what he was supposed to say or do around them. He hadn't gotten to be an actual kid when he was younger. Adulthood had pretty much been thrusted upon him so he never could relate to children or figure them out in any fashion. "You should go back." He looked to the others, hoping one of them would come over and collect the kid. Nobody was even noticing though. It looked like he was stuck with her.

"Do you want to play a game?"

The answer was actually no but he couldn't just say that. He wasn't really looking to anger the creepy child. "What kind of game?"

"I'll show you." She grabbed his hand and tugged on it. "Come on."

He reluctantly got up and followed her. It wasn't like he had anything else to do. His hand was so much bigger than hers she lead him more by the fingers than anything else. She led him into the woods and he cast a look back every few seconds to see if anyone was following them.

"Are the bad men going to come take you away again?"

He blinked and turned his head back to stare at her in confusion. "What?"

"The bad men." She stopped walking and stared at him with wide eyes. "They took you away last time."

It took a moment for him to realize she was talking about Roman and Seth. He felt a little pang inside his chest. "No. They're not coming."

"They made Brother Bray angry." She pulled the end of her dress up with her free hand and stepped over a log. Her leg scraped against the wood as she went over and while Dean saw the blood immediately, she acted as if she felt nothing. "It was scary."

"You don't got to tell me." His mind flashed back to the incident at the warehouse and he shuddered. That was the last place he needed to go right now. "Where are we going?" He had to change the subject.

"You'll see." She pulled him right along, leading him deeper into the woods. He felt himself getting more and more nervous with each passing second. It was stupid of him. She was just a little girl. Bray's daughter or not, she was a fucking little girl. She couldn't do anything to him. He needed to get a fucking grip on himself.

They walked until they reached the river. "We're going fishing," she announced. Two poles were already sitting up against a rock, just waiting to be used.

"Uhhh..." Dean stopped in his tracks and eyed the water warily. "I hate to break it to you kid but I don't fish."

Isabella frowned. "Why not?"

"I don't know how."

"I'll teach you." She grabbed the poles and handed one to him. "It's not hard I promise."

"It's really not that hard."

Dean blinked, surprised to see Bray approaching them. "Weren't you-"

"I was just about to finish my sermon when you two took off." Bray draped an arm over Dean's shoulders and kissed the side of his head. "I knew she'd take you here. It's her special spot." He looked to Isabella and smiled. "Isn't it?"

"Mmhmm!" She nodded enthusiastically. "It's only for me and Brother Bray and now you." She patted Dean on the leg. "You have to promise to keep it a secret though."

"Oh he will." Bray took the pole from Dean so he could show him what to do. "I'll make sure of it."

* * *

"Why doesn't she know you're her father?" The question came bursting out of Dean later that night. Fishing with Isabella and Bray had really just resulted in him watching the two of them and how they interacted. Bray was so gentle and attentive to her and she clearly adored him yet the actual father/daughter relationship went completely unacknowledged. Dean knew he wasn't wrong though. He had seen enough to know he was right.

The question managed to catch Bray by surprise. He had been reading until this point, trying to ignore just how irritating he found Dean's nail biting to be. He put his book aside and looked at the other man, who now sat on the edge of the bed. "She knows what she needs to know, as do any of my children."

Children. One simple word made Dean cringe. That meant there were more little Brays running around. That thought was actually kind of terrifying. "So what, you just spawned a bunch of kids and didn't take responsibility for any of them?"

Bray rolled his eyes. "I take care of them. I take care of everyone down here it's not like I've just abandoned them." He leaned forward and looked Dean straight in the eye, ignoring the fury and disgust that filled those blue orbs. "Your brute put his hands on my baby without knowing she was my baby. Can you imagine what others would do if I let the fact be known? I'm not like your father who just planted his seed and then leaves all his children to die in this cold, cruel world."

Dean flinched. "She's gonna want to fucking know. They all will fucking want to know."

"How do you know? Because you felt that way?" Bray leaned in even closer, forcing Dean to jerk back.

"This isn't about me."

"Oh but it is." Bray pressed his finger against Dean's chest. "It's you projecting your own daddy issues on my children. My children want for nothing. They don't have to lie awake every night hoping that maybe their daddy will decide to come back and save them from their junkie whore of a mother."

"Fuck you." Dean stood up, fists clenched at his sides. "Fuck you fuck you fuck you. Don't fucking talk to me about that shit." He was so angry he was shaking. Why had he even started this conversation? Why had he given a shit? It shouldn't have bothered him like it did. So what if Bray didn't fully acknowledge his own kids? That wasn't his problem. "I never fucking wanted him back. I was just fine without him."

"Uh huh."

"I was!"

"And that's why you're all upset right now? That's why you're grilling me and looking at me like I'm some bastard because my children don't know the whole truth? Because you were just so fine and fucking dandy?"

Dean didn't respond. He couldn't really defend himself. He knew Bray was right on this one. He was actually fucking right. His lack of relationship with his father had fucked him up. There were nights he laid in bed, wondering what the guy was like and why he had left. He always went back and forth with himself on whether the guy was just a piece of shit or if there had been something so horribly wrong with him that the bastard just had to go. When he had been sixteen he had finally tracked the fucker down. He had found his house and watched him, his worst fears being confirmed. The bastard had a wife and two kids and had just been so fucking happy Dean hadn't been able to reveal himself. He had been the problem all along. Bray didn't know that. Nobody did. He had locked that bit of knowledge down, swearing to take it to his grave. He had felt so stupid for ever having hope that his dad would show up and say he loved him and him leaving wasn't his fault and all the other fucking stupid shit he had wanted to hear but knew he didn't deserve.

Bray watched the flood of emotions cross Dean's face. He saw the break in his eyes. The sad, scared little boy that he still was on the inside. Oh he tried so hard to hide it. To not show an ounce of vulnerability to anyone. But it was there. It drove him, consumed him and tore him to pieces. "Come here." He reached his hand up, inviting Dean back to the bed. "Come back to me darlin."

Dean stared at his hand. His brain told him not to take it. He needed to keep up a resistance. But he wasn't ever good at listening to his god damn brain. He took Bray's hand, letting himself get pulled back on to the bed. His need for comfort outweighed everything else. "Don't gloat." He knew Bray saw through him. He always did. "Don't fucking gloat." He couldn't take any gloating. He couldn't take any more mind fucks or games.

"What is there to gloat about little lamb?"

"That you're right. That nobody but you wants me. About every little fucking thing." He smacked himself on the head with the last five words. Each smack was harder than the one before it. But it was good. The pain was good. The throbbing of his head gave him something else to focus on. It could make him forget the shit with his dad. It could make him forget all the shit that had been going on with him and Bray and Seth and Roman. It could make him forget that nothing was ever okay with him.

"Ssshhh stop that." Bray grabbed his wrist before he could hit himself again. Dean tried to immediately wrench his hand free but Bray held him tight. "You don't need to be doing that to yourself." He pressed his forehead to Dean's, not letting him look away. "He don't matter anymore little lamb. He'll burn just like my daddy burned."

Dean had no idea if that was meant literally or not. He wasn't afforded the opportunity to ask, though he was quite sure he didn't want to. Bray peppered little kisses across his face, slowly moving down until he reached his lips. Dean melted into it instantly. Things had been better for the most part since he had given himself back over to Bray. For the most part Bray had actually been better to him. He didn't constantly rub Seth's betrayal in his face (there was a little of that of course but nothing like Dean thought there would be). He treated him rather gently; there wasn't the constant rush to cut him open with shards of glass or tear chunks out of him with his teeth. He was sometimes was actually grabbed by the hand instead of dragged by the wrist and he was being afforded a little alone time here and there instead of being chained and hovered over like a prisoner. Everything that had happened before still loomed in the back of Dean's brain but he could push it back and make himself forget it most of the time. He did what he had to do to help Seth and now he was at least being able to live with the consequences. That was all he could actually ask for.

* * *

Seth wasn't in bed. The fact didn't surprise Roman in the very least. They had gone to sleep together just a few hours ago but upon rolling over the spot next to him was empty once again. He took a deep breath and opened his eyes. Seth wasn't even in the room. "God damn it." Roman rolled out of bed and slipped his boxers on. He left the bedroom and went downstairs, finding Seth sitting on the couch, eyes glued to his laptop. Roman stood there for several minutes, waiting to see if he would even be acknowledged. When Seth showed no signs of looking up, he finally cleared his throat. "Babe? What are you doing?"

"Listen to this Rome." Seth still hadn't looked at him but was at least acknowledging his existence. "The victim dissociates from his or her pain-"

"Seth what the fuck are you reading?" Roman did not know why the other man just expected to know what he was talking about, especially when he had literally just woken up.

"Stages of Stockholm Syndrome. Fucking pay attention." Brown eyes looked at him briefly in irritation before going back to the screen. "The victim dissociates from his or her pain, helplessness or terror by subconsciously by beginning to see the situation or world from the abuser's perspective. The victim begins to agree with the abuser and certain aspects of his or her own personality, opinions, and views will fade into the background. By doing this, the victim begins to learn how to appease and please the abuser, which may keep him or her from being hurt or worse. Similarly this tactic can be used to manipulate the abuser into being less dangerous, at least for a little while." Seth looked to him again. "Sound familiar?"

Roman cringed. "Except he did it to protect your family."

"And you don't think there was some self-preservation tactic going into that too? After nearly getting fucking killed?"

Point taken. Roman let out a long sigh and reluctantly joined Seth on the couch. "What else does it say?"

"The part that I hoped hasn't happened yet."

"Which is?"

"After a while the victim begins to realize that his or her abuser portrays the same human characteristics as anyone else. At this point he or she will begin to see the abuser as less of a threat. Some abusers may even share personal information in an effort to bond with the victim and to promote pity rather than anger. This bonding, in turn, leads to conflicting feelings like rage and pity and illogical concern for the abuser. The victim may even ignore his or her own needs." Seth scrolled down the page just a little. "Four situations or conditions are present that serve as a foundation for the development of Stockholm Syndrome. One: perceived or real threat to one's physical or psychological survival and belief that the abuser will carry out the threat. The abuser may assure the victim that only cooperation keeps loved ones safe, offer subtle threats or stories of revenge to remind the victim that revenge is possible if they leave and have a history of violence leading the victim to believe they could be a target."

Well shit. Roman knew that to be damn well true in this case. Between being raped, nearly being set on fire, being mauled with shards of glass and the entire shit with Seth's family, Dean knew damn well the threat of Bray fucking Wyatt was as real as it got.

"Two: presence of a small kindness from the abuser to the victim." Seth ran his tongue over his bottom lip. "We could probably count his declarations of love like that. You've seen how Dean is he fucking clings to that shit."

Roman only nodded.

"Three: victim's isolation from other perspectives. Victims have the sense they are always being watched. For their survival s perspective. This survival technique can become so intense that the victim develops anger toward those trying to help. In severe cases of Stockholm Syndrome the victim may feel the abusive situation is their fault."

Roman was sure Dean thought that. The man carried around enough self-hatred for everyone in the company.

"Four: perceived or real inability to escape from the situation. The victim may have financial obligations, debt, or instability to the point that they cannot survive on their own. The abuser may use threats including taking the children, public exposure, suicide, or a life of harassment for the victim."

"Does it say how to fucking help him?" Roman didn't want to listen to much more of this. His stomach was in a gigantic knot as it was. He needed to take action. They needed to actually do something before things got even worse than they already were.

Seth scrolled more down the page. "Ummm...okay here we go. While each situation is different, there are general guidelines to consider if you know or suspect that someone you love is suffering from Stockholm Syndrome: your loved one has probably been given a choice – the "relationship" or the family. Because the victim believes that choosing the family will result in adverse consequences, the family always comes second. Your loved one is being told the family is trying to ruin their wonderful "relationship." Remember: the more you pressure the victim, the more you prove that point. Your goal is to remain in contact with your loved one during the abusive "relationship." There are many channels of communication, including phone calls, letters, cards, emails, etc. Keep contact brief and consider contacting him or her at "traditional" times such as holidays, birthdays, and special occasions. Your loved one may open up communication and provide subtle hints about his or her "relationship" with the abuser. If so, listen and let them know that you are behind any decision they need to make. Remember: he or she may be exploring what support is available but may not be ready to ask for help just yet."

"...Are you fucking kidding me?" Roman snatched the laptop out of Seth's hands and slammed it shut. "It's basically telling us to wait until Dean decides he wants out? Are you fucking kidding me? God fucking DAMN IT!" Without even thinking he chucked the laptop across the room, making it break as it smashed into the wall.

"Fucking shit Rome!" Seth actually scooted away from him he looked so angry. "I could have tried a different website. See if they said something different."

"We don't need you to make fucking diagnosis with Google." Roman stood up and began to pace around. "We need to do something. We need to get him away from Bray and we need to do it fucking now."

"How? Bray's not going to let him go. Dean thinks he needs to stay with him. It's not adding up to us being able to win."

Roman knew Seth was right but he couldn't accept it. They had to not just find another way. They had to force one. "We take him and run." The idea flew out of his mouth without him really thinking about it. "First chance we get."

Seth stared at him like he was insane. "And what exactly do you think Wyatt's going to do to our families just to try to find us?"

"We tell them to disappear." Now that Roman had said an idea his brain was working over time to keep it going. "We clean out our accounts and give them some and tell them to just go."

"And Jimmy and Jey? And Tamina?"

"Same fucking thing."

"And they're just going to leave everything to do that?"

"Why are you arguing with me so much?"

"I'm not trying to argue with you! I'm just being realistic."

"Well do you have any other idea we could go with?"

Seth's silence spoke for itself.

"Then we're going with mine." His voice left no room for argument. They had fucked around with this long enough. This was ending and ending on their terms.


	31. Chapter 31

The days and nights felt like they were going too fast. Bray hated it. He wanted time to stand still. Things were going so perfectly. He had Dean, who wasn't trying to run or really fight him. The only argument they really had been the one about Isabella and since then Dean had been meek as a lamb. He sat at the kitchen table now, biting his nails once again. At this point he was really just gnawing on his own fingertips. His nails were long gone but that wasn't stopping him. He was dying for a cigarette. He hadn't asked for one but Bray wasn't stupid. He knew he was dying for one. Bray wasn't about to go give him one though. That was an even worst poison than the booze. The habit would be broken, even if he had to drag Dean kicking and screaming through the process.

"Why is it so quiet in here?" Dean's voice broke the silence that had fallen between them. They were in the kitchen, Dean sitting at the table while Bray checked on the soup he had cooking.

"I wasn't aware it was normally noisy." Bray took a bite of the soup to see if the vegetables were done. They weren't. He turned the heat up slightly and rejoined Dean at the table.

"Your boys breathe really loud."

"Do they?"

"Uh huh." Dean leaned back in his chair and looked around. "Where are they?"

"Out."

"Out where?"

Bray shrugged. "Wherever they decided to go."

"There's nowhere to go." Dean leaned back more, bracing an arm against the table so he wouldn't topple over. "We're in the middle of nowhere."

"Just because there's nowhere you would want to go doesn't mean they feel the same way." Bray reached forward and pushed on Dean's legs until he put his chair back right. "They might have gone into town. I did leave them the keys to the truck." He had actually considered taking Dean into town again. Not that there was anything there that Dean would want to do but he supposed he would have at least appreciated the change in scenery. But he hadn't done it. He wanted Dean utterly and completely to himself. He was being like a selfish child with a shiny new toy but he couldn't help it. The fact that Dean was his made him feel all giddy on the inside. His hold was becoming stronger with every minute. Just in that moment Dean had put his legs over his, stretching out since he wasn't allowed to tip back now. He didn't flinch when Bray put his hand over his ankle nor did he try to stop him when he slid his hand up his jeans. He rubbed his fingers along the scars on Dean's legs. Souvenirs from the death match days. Bray had watched some of them and could only shake his head. His little lamb had always possessed talent that made him so very much above those barbaric matches. But they suited him all the same.

"It smells good." Dean eyed the pot on the stove. "Where the fuck did you learn how to cook?"

"I taught myself." Bray slid his hand further up Dean's leg and rested it on his knee. "My mother died giving birth to me and my father was useless in everything that wasn't catching shrimp or being a drunken bully. I found my mom's old cookbook in the attic when I was three and after I learned to read I forced myself to learn how to cook too."

"Just like that?"

"It was better than starving."

Dean frowned. "Yeah but like...didn't you like...I don't know...start fires and shit?" He cast his eyes to the stove again. "I tried to cook before. My mom was always too fucked up and she didn't date people who cooked so I like tried to do it." He shook his head. "I fucking never got it right. It burned or I didn't cook it long enough or there were fires." He rubbed around his chest and shoulder, his blue eyes getting a faraway look in them. "Mom never gave a shit but her fucking boyfriends would get so fucking mad." He let out a humorless laugh. "I about burned the whole apartment building down once. Mom was passed out on the couch, fucking needle in her arm. I was fucking screaming because I couldn't get the fire out." He chewed on his bottom lip, his body tensing up as this all came back to him. "Her boyfriend Ronnie got it out. And he fucking beat the piss out of me." He bit down on his lower lip so hard he drew blood. "I couldn't go to school for a week. Should have gone to the hospital but we didn't have the money."

"They all beat you?"

Dean nodded. "when they weren't beating her up." His tongue darted out and licked the blood off his lip. "All she dated were pimps and drug dealers and they all fucking hated me."

"Of course they did." Nothing about Dean's tale surprised Bray. "They were cut from the same cloth as my father." He slipped his hand off Dean's leg and leaned forward. "Maybe he didn't run around whoring out women and pumping them up with drugs but he was a nasty man. One wrong move got me the belt or his fists. He used to scream about how I killed my mother and that he wished it was me who died instead."

"Jesus..." Dean winced. "Fuck that's fucked up."

Bray shrugged. It wasn't anything he actually dwelled on. His father had burned for his sins and after finding Abigail he had been reborn. The boy who used to hide in the woods from the big bad monster was long dead, leaving him to stand tall in his wake.

"You didn't have like anyone? Like family or whatever?"

"They had about as much interest in helping me like yours did with you." The statement was cruel with its bluntness but it was true. "Everyone knew what my father was but nobody stopped him. Nobody cared. Same way with your mother. They knew she was nothing more than a junkie and a whore. They knew the things those men she ran with were capable of yet they left you to suffer."

Dean's head dropped. Hearing the truth always bothered him so much. Bray watched him for a few minutes, letting him grow uncomfortable in the silence before changing the subject. "Do you remember that dream?"

Dean frowned. "What dream?"

"In Vegas. When I came to your apartment and found you putting on on that show?" Such a radical change in topic but this had actually been bothering Bray for awhile. He knew he had been in the dream but every time he had thought to ask for details something else came up and it slipped his mind again.

Dean's face flushed. "No," he said just a little too quickly. "I don't."

"You don't need to lie to me now." Bray stood up and walked behind Dean's chair. "I always know." He pulled the chair back away from the table, nearly sending the other man toppling out of it in surprise. "Come on now little lamb." He wrapped his arms around the smaller man, leaning down so his mouth was right up against his ear. "Tell me the truth." His voice had dropped so low Dean wouldn't have even heard him if they weren't so close together. "I want to know what I did to you."

Dean swallowed hard. Just by the look on his face he knew he was being taken advantage of. He was hopeless, not stupid. He got made to be all vulnerable and now look at what was happening. "It just was all a blur. Us on your stupid chair and you had me like tied up on a table and shit."

"Tied up huh?" Bray cocked an eyebrow.

"Noooo." Dean shook his head. "No no no. None of that shit."

"Why not?" Bray walked back in front of Dean and knelt down. "Don't you trust me?"

Dean groaned. The war going on inside him was clearly written on his face. "Do you have to do this?"

"I'm just asking a question."

"I don't want to be tied up."

"You sure about that?"

"I don't fucking like being helpless." The answer is fast but it's not a rushed lie this time. There's a very real fear in Dean's eyes now. A deep-rooted fear, one that went far beyond anything that had happened between the two of them. It was something that could be picked out oh so easily and Bray almost did it right then and there. It was begging to be done but he spared Dean for the moment. A small mercy that Dean looked surprised by.

Bray capitalized on it, capturing his lips in a searing kiss. Dean's eyes widened but he didn't push him away. He returned the kiss actually, letting himself relax as Bray pulled him off the chair. Bray's hands slipped under Dean's shirt, loving the feeling of his heated skin at his fingertips. While the world was so focused on him dragging Dean down this deep, dark rabbit hole of a relationship, nobody seemed to realize Dean was pulling him down just as deep. His utter need for the Lunatic Fringe had taken over his life. His time with his family interested him less. His obsession with exposing John Cena was just a front for the world. All he actually cared about was right there in his hands.

Dean sat back on the table, legs parting so Bray could stand between them. Their kisses grew deeper and sloppier. One of Bray's hands went to Dean's hair, pulling on the dirty blond locks. "What about when I pin your hands down?" The question rolled off Bray's tongue as he broke the kiss. "Aren't you helpless then?" His mouth traveled along Dean's jaw, his beard brushing against the stubble that was starting to grow.

"That's not really the same." Dean tilted his head back as Bray's lips went to his neck.

"Isn't it?" Bray placed his hands over Dean's wrists. He didn't fully grab them yet but he could do it in a split second if he wanted. "Or are you just so desperate for me you ignore it bothering you?" He tapped the side of Dean's head. "What if it were someone else's hands?"

"Bray stop."

"Would it scare you?"

"Why do you gotta do this?" Dean shook his head. "You fucking have me you don't have to fucking do this shit to me."

"Sorry." The apology wasn't actually meant but it was convincing enough for Dean to buy it. Or he just was so shocked to hear the word that it stunned him into accepting it. Either way it had the desired effect. Down the rabbit hole they were falling once again. It seemed like there was no end to just how far down they could go.

Clothes were discarded and thrown about with no care of where they ended up. Bray lifted Dean off the table, the fun of fucking him on it gone if he wasn't going to tie him up in the process. His brain quickly came up with a new idea and he slammed Dean back first into the wall. Dean groaned but didn't break the kiss they were tied up in. Dean's legs were locked around his waist, his body begging for him already. Bray reached down and guided his cock to Dean's entrance. He hadn't prepped him and Dean tried to shake his head. Tried to tell him no but he wasn't listened to. There was something addicting in Dean's whimpers and screams. They made him want to bite him and cut him and fuck him so he bled. Dean cursed at him, telling him he was a sadist. And maybe he was. He certainly enjoyed the scream that came from Dean as he pulled almost all the way out just to thrust back in sharply. He watched the pain on Dean's face, fascinated with the way his eyes squeezed shut and his teeth clenched together. "It won't hurt so much if you relax."

"Fuck...oh fuck you..." He dropped his head down on Bray's shoulder and bit down.

Bray smirked and thrusted harder. Dean's walls were tight around his cock but the blood he had drawn let him move with more and more ease. "Let me look at you darlin."  
Dean mumbled something and kept his head firmly down.

"Look at me darlin." Bray's hand found blond locks once again and he yanked Dean's head back. He felt a piece of his flesh tear but he didn't care. "That's it." He pressed his forehead to Dean's. "That's a good little lamb."

Lips found each other once more. Bray could taste his own blood in Dean's mouth. It egged him on, making him thrust all the harder while he sucked on Dean's lower lip. Dean was mumbling something but none of it could be understood. It was too quiet and too broken up between his whorishly loud moans. Even as they kissed he was just so fucking loud. And despite his pain and his telling Bray that he was a bastard his hips were moving to meet Bray's thrusts. Always so fucking desperate. He reeked of it. It was in his kisses, in his moans, in his eyes...but it couldn't be any other way.

Bray's hand wrapped around Dean's shaft, pumping it in time with his wild thrusts. Dean's mouth hung open, strangled whines tearing through him as his body bucked underneath Bray's. "Bray...fuck...god fuck Bray..." Over and over Bray's name fell from his lips. "Bray...jesus..." The rest of the words were lost in a moan. Bray kept his eyes glued to his face as he came. His release spilled all over Bray's hand and his walls tightened around his cock, pushing him over the edge as well. He moved his hips until there was nothing left and his knees threatened to buckle underneath him. They both panted for breath, Dean's head dropping back down on Bray's shoulder while Bray buried his face in the crook of Dean's neck. For now their rabbit hole had a bottom. And there was peace.

* * *

Seth paced back and forth across the living room. He could hear Roman on the phone arguing with Jimmy. The two of them had been going at it for what felt like ages. Roman's plan to take Dean and run was still the only one they really had. Seth had tried to come up with another one, but the most he had managed was to try to get Bray obsessed with someone else so he would just leave Dean alone. Not a real workable one considering the fact that they couldn't just control Bray's emotions. So Roman's plan it was. Convincing Seth's family to get gone wasn't hard. They were more than willing to take some money and go on an extended vacation. Roman's family wasn't as easy to convince but that was to be expected since they were pretty much in the dark about what was going on. Roman finally got the immediate ones Bray could even know to exist (Seth cursed Roman's extensive family tree) on an extended cruise. The problem they faced now that Jimmy, Jey and Tamina weren't willing to run. They didn't fully understand the threat of Bray Wyatt and weren't exactly looking to throw away their positions at work to just take off. Seth could understand their situation. Jimmy and Jey had finally captured the tag titles after being kept down at the bottom for so long and Tamina's partnership with AJ had given her the most sustained relevance she had ever had. Good spots were hard to come by in the business and they just didn't see why they should have to give them up. Tamina had said there would be nothing to get out of them if Seth and Roman didn't tell them where they were going or left any way to communicate with them. She had even offered to take their phones to show Bray there really was no way to find them. Roman of course had gone ballistic at her answer and was now screaming at Jimmy who was of course screaming back at him. Roman never fought with anyone but when he did it was just ugly.

Seth finally forced himself to sit down. They hadn't decided where they were going to run to. It was something they were going to have to figure out. Maybe they would drive down to Mexico. Or maybe they would get on a plane and fly out of the country. Maybe go over to Europe or something. He didn't know. It was hard to even think that far ahead. First they had to make sure they actually got their hands on Dean and got him away from Bray without incident. And even if they did that, he had to wonder how receptive Dean would be to their plan. What if he was too scared to want to run? Or what if he just didn't wan to? What if he wanted to stay with the son of a bitch? It felt ridiculous to think that but it was hard not to.

"Damn it!" Roman came storming back in. His phone wasn't in his hands and Seth had to wonder if he tossed it somewhere.

"They're not running." It was a statement rather than a question.

"No." Roman sat down next to him and grabbed his hand. "They said they'll handle the Wyatts." He squeezed Seth's hand tightly, not realizing he was nearly crushing it. "They just don't fucking get it."

"Or maybe they can really handle themselves." Seth tried not to wince in pain. Making Roman feel worse by doing so wasn't what he wanted to do.

Roman just gave him a look.

Seth sighed. "Ro, I don't want to say this, but if you want to stick around and protect them, we can't go anywhere. We'll have to stay put and find another way."

"There is no other way." Roman loosened his grip just a little. "Wyatt ain't going to be the type to obey a restraining order. Stephanie and Hunter don't give a shit. This is the way."

Seth didn't say anything else. Roman was effectively choosing Dean over his family. Sure it was his cousins instead of like his parents or his siblings but it didn't do anything to make Seth feel less like shit. There was a bit of a difference in their situations; Bray didn't actually have Roman's family like he had Seth's. But fuck did he still feel like a piece of shit at the moment. That feeling had been haunting him since he had betrayed Dean during that match. But maybe this could make it right. Choosing Dean here could save him and relieve his conscience from all this fucking guilt. He hoped it would. If it didn't...well then he didn't know what the fuck he was going to do.

* * *

Headlining house shows had become such a regular thing that Dean was surprised to find out he, Roman and Seth wouldn't be doing it this time around. When he and Bray arrived at Saturday's show they found that Bray was taking the main event spot against Cena and The Shield were taking on Sheamus, Cody Rhodes and Goldust in the middle of the show. The mood of everyone around him was strange, to say the very least. Bray didn't even want to let him go for the match and Roman and Seth were awfully quiet. Once he actually was let go by Bray, he found Jimmy and Jey taking Seth and Roman's bags away from the dressing room. He asked what was going on of course but didn't really get an answer. They just said they had something important to do and would need Dean's help. Dean guaranteed nothing and even though he didn't say it was because of Bray, he knew by the looks Roman and Seth gave each other that they knew why he was reluctant. And they didn't like it at all.

The match itself went well. They had the art of the six man tag mastered so beating the opposition wasn't a problem. After the match Bray reclaimed him, shooting such a nasty look at Roman and Seth that Dean thought it was going to start a fight right then and there. "They didn't fucking do anything," he said as he was dragged away by the wrist. "What the fuck is up with you?"

"Tired of sharing you with them," Bray growled. He pulled Dean to where he, Harper and Rowan set up camp and had him sit while he prepared for his match. Harper and Rowan weren't wrestling but they would be going with Bray out to the ring. Both of them glared at Dean the whole time Bray got himself ready. Dean tried to ignore them. Antagonizing them didn't have any appeal when the room was so incredibly tense. He found himself relieved when it came time for Bray's match and they all took off. He made sure they were really gone before he got up. His intention was to get in the shower but before he could get to one he ran into Roman.

"Whoa. Fucking shit man." Running into Roman was like running into a damn brick wall. Dean took a step back, frowning as he saw the look on Roman's face. "What's wrong?"

"Do you trust me?"

Dean blinked. The question caught him totally off guard. "Yeah. Why?"

Roman held out his hand. "come with me."

"Why?"

"Just come with me."

"But why?"

Roman sighed. "You said you trust me."

"Well yeah but I'd like to know what the fuck is going on." Dean shifted from foot to foot. "You're freaking me out here."

"We can't do this anymore." Roman grabbed Dean's bag and threw it over his shoulder. "This shit with Bray. We can't let you be with him anymore. Fuck him and fuck his winning. We're leaving."

Dean snorted. "Yeah, because it's not like he won't be at the show tomorrow to get pissed."

Roman just shook his head. "We're not coming to any shows." He grabbed Dean's hand, now tired of waiting for him to take his. "Seth's got the car. We're just gonna go."

Dean stared at him, the real meaning of his words finally hitting him. "But-"

"My family's on a cruise and Seth's family is...well fuck I don't even know where they went. But we got them gone and we gotta get gone too." He cast a look at the clock. "Wyatt's not going to be out there forever. We need to get as much distance between him and us as possible."

Dean didn't know what to say. He didn't know what to do. His mind was split in two, half of him telling him to stay and half telling him to go. "Where would we go?" He couldn't even believe this was being suggested by Roman.

"I don't know. Anywhere you want. Just away from him." Roman let go of his hand and grabbed his face. "He's going to hurt you again. You know that. He's a ticking time bomb you can't stay with him."

"He hasn't been that bad...it's really not that bad you guys don't have to do this."

The look on Roman's face told him that was the wrong thing to say. He just stared at Dean, his expression unreadable. Dean looked down. He expected Roman to settle on disgust. He expected Roman to storm out, leaving him to what he chose. What he deserved. But instead he found himself being dragged forward and thrown over Roman's shoulder. "Hey!" His heart leapt up in his chest as Roman started walking. "Ro...Ro jesus he's going to fucking kill you."

"Let him try," Roman growled. "Let him fucking try."


	32. Chapter 32

Dean was never a man who could sit still but his current anxiety levels were making the situation even worse. They had been driving for awhile now and they still didn't have a plan for where they were going. Seth was at the wheel while Roman sat in the back with him. Roman was the anchor that was keeping him from jumping out of the moving vehicle. He needed to go back. Bray was going to be furious and it would all just end even worse if he didn't go back. But he didn't want to. He wanted to just accept the help Seth and Roman were giving him. They were dropping everything to take him away. And maybe it was too late but they were trying and it meant the world to him. It really did. Nobody really tried for him the way they did. Bray tried in his way but it wasn't the same. Bray's efforts on him was paved with terrible intentions. To hurt him and manipulate him and fuck with him. Seth and Roman just wanted to help him. They wanted him to be happy and well and a host of other things he never really been before.

He tried to swallow down the lump in his throat when Roman put his hand over his. Happiness. It was such a fucking foreign concept to him. The misery had always been his company. Even when he acted like he was happy it wasn't really genuine. He just people watched enough to know how to fake it. He wanted to really feel it. He was tired of having his misery be his company. He wanted to be at peace with himself and just put all the shit he had been through behind him. But he didn't know how. He really didn't. And maybe he didn't want to let it go. Clinging to that shit had been all he ever knew. It was terrible but it was his comfort zone. The thought of anything else really did fucking scare him.

And maybe that was why there was such an appeal to Bray. Bray just didn't understand the darkness that lived inside him. He kept him buried in it. He gave him love while also making him a miserable and cowed dependent. Every gentle touch followed by so many more that hurt. And it was sick and wrong and he needed to be out of it. He knew it but there was just that sick part of him that didn't want to be. It wanted the subjugation and pain. It wanted the torment and for him to accept the fact that he would never win.

"Where are we going?" he finally asked. He couldn't just not know. It was bad enough that nobody was really talking. The radio wasn't even on. The silence was just adding to his anxiety and he couldn't handle it. "Do we even have a plan?"

"My aunt and uncle used to have a little vacation house out in Santa Fé," Seth replied. With how slow he was speaking it was clear he was formulating this idea on the fly. "I think we'll try going there."

"Try? You're not going to call them and fucking see if we can stay there?"

"It's better if nobody knows where we are," Roman said before Seth could. "We left our phones back at home." He grabbed Dean's bag and started searching through it. "Where's yours?"

"It's been dead. I was going to charge-hey!" Dean's eyes widened as Roman just took his phone and chucked it out the window. "What the hell man?"

"I don't want him contacting you," was Roman's gruff reply. He put the window back up and ignored the look on Dean's face. "I'll buy you a new one when this is all over."

If this was ever over. At the rate this was all going Dean didn't think it would ever be.

Seth turned the radio on and let it play on a classic rock station that Dean would like. It didn't do all that much to ease his anxiety. Despite the miles they were putting between him and Bray he didn't feel like it was enough. He was still right there in the back of his head, his voice promising all kinds of hell once he got his hands on them.

"Why didn't you tell me you knew?"

Dean blinked. "What?"

"Why didn't you tell me you knew?" Seth asked again. He ignored Roman's sharp look and kept his attention focused on Dean. His eyes were filled with such pain and regret. "You knew what I was going to do on Raw. Why didn't you say anything? Why did you let me do it?"

Dean shrugged. He didn't know how this question took him by surprise. He should have expected it honestly. "What the fuck else was there to do? He had your family." He chewed on his bottom lip, not caring that he bit down too hard and made himself bleed. "I can't keep letting people suffer because of me."

"It's not because of you," Roman argued. "None of this is because of you. You shouldn't feel responsible for any of it."

That was really easy for Roman to say. He wasn't the one in Dean's position. "He did it because of me. To get back at you for taking me."

"He did it because he's fucking psychotic. You are not responsible for his fucking actions." Seth was jumping into the argument now.

"He loves me..." Dean hated himself for those words the moment they left his mouth. He sounded just like his mother talking about all her fucking stupid boyfriends that used and abused her. Fuck, he was worse off than he thought.

Seth visibly tensed up. "Look at all the shit he's done to you. That's not what someone that really loves you does."

"I don't fucking care what he's done to me." Dean jerked his hand out of Roman's grasp. "I gave in for you guys. To keep you and your families safe. Why do you got to make a fucking big deal about this?"

"Because you deserve better. Even if you don't believe it."

Roman's words hung heavily in the air. Seth looked all kinds of uncomfortable now and Dean couldn't even say anything. There was no way to argue it. They all knew it was true. And it was his lack of believing was what kept making him fall back into Bray's trap. Having this self-awareness was one thing; actually fucking doing something on it was the struggle he always faced. Despite everything Seth and Roman had been saying and doing, he couldn't shake the doubts and shit that plagued him. The shit Bray had been putting in his head made it all the worse but he didn't think he would believe it any more if Bray wasn't in the picture. It wasn't like he had ever felt good about himself to begin with.

But would they care so much if you didn't get yourself in such a mess?

Fuck. No no no. He couldn't keep thinking like that. That was some Bray shit right there and he didn't need to indulge it. He closed his eyes and let his head fall on to Roman's shoulder. He didn't see Roman smile but he did feel the other man's arm wrap around him. His lips twitched and finally formed into a small smile. He wouldn't say it out loud but Roman really did have a calming effect on him. He loved Seth but Roman had the ability to just make him feel more protected. That was just his thing. Maybe that was why Seth chose Roman over him before. Shit, he would have done the same thing.

Seth turned the radio up and started singing along. Roman teased him for his awful singing and Dean's smile grew bigger. In that moment it felt like old times. Before Bray and before he became estranged from Seth and Roman. And maybe if this didn't change he could be alright.

Maybe.

* * *

The eruption that came from Bray discovering Dean was gone sent the locker room as a whole running. Bray tore the locker room apart, eventually scaring people into telling him what happened. Summer Rae and Alicia Fox claimed he willingly left with Roman and Seth. Cody nearly got strangled into saying Roman had been carrying Dean off. Rybaxel decided to say The Shield were all laughing at Bray's expense and boy did that really set Bray off. Harper was sure most of the accounts they had heard couldn't be trusted but it didn't matter. Dean was gone and Bray was taking it terribly. This was even worse than the night Roman and Seth had come to the compound and took Dean then. Harper wasn't sure if it was because Bray actually thought Dean left willingly or if whatever it was he was feeling for Dean had just gotten that much more intense and he couldn't handle being away from him for more than a second. Or maybe it was both. But no matter what it was, Harper saw the opportunity standing right in front of him. The little rat was gone and he needed to make sure he stayed gone.

Rowan tried to go near Bray but Harper pushed him back. "Stay," he ordered.

Rowan grunted but reluctantly did what he was told. Harper nodded in satisfaction before cautiously approaching Bray. He was down on the floor, legs pulled up and arms resting on his knees. He was breathing hard, exhausted from his screaming and tearing everything around him apart. His knuckles were bleeding from punching the wall and his eyes were red and puffy. This was what Dean fucking Ambrose had turned their leader into. A lovesick child throwing a temper tantrum. This could not stand. He had to fix this.

Harper got down on his knees and put a hand on Bray's shoulder. His presence wasn't so much as even acknowledged but he refused to let that bother him. "He lied to you." This could quite possibly get his head taken off but he didn't care. He had to say it. "He said he loves you but look what he did." He was going to run with the assumption that Bray thought Dean left willingly. It worked much better for him this way. "He went back to them." He shook his head. "You warned him. You warned him about what they are but look what he did. He spit on everything you've done for him."

Bray said nothing. What could he say? He had to know Harper was right. He fucking had to.

"He's a snake just like Daniel Bryan was." Harper could feel Bray's anger growing but he didn't let that stop him. He had to keep pushing. It was cruel but he was the only one who could do it. Rowan was the simpleton brute everyone thought he was but not him. He was much smarter than anyone realized. Even smarter than maybe even Bray realized. "And he bit you right in your heart."

Still nothing from Bray.

Harper let out a long sigh. "He's making a fool out of you. He made you weak. He made you care and now he's tossed you away like the trash he really is."

Bray's face twitched. Now they were getting somewhere.

"You know what we have to do now?" Harper's grip on Bray's shoulder tightened. "We have to make him pay. We-"

Bray's hand wrapping around his throat cut Harper off. His eyes widened but he did nothing to stop himself from being pushed over. His head hit the back of the floor and for a moment he almost blacked out. It was the feeling of Bray's weight on top of him that brought him back around. He could barely breathe but he didn't try to fight. He just stared up at Bray, watching the break going on in his eyes. He was so sick. Ambrose had made him so god damn sick. But there was a fury there now. A fury that would cleanse him and make everything alright again.

"I know exactly what I have to do." Bray spoke so quietly that Harper almost didn't hear him. With a snarl he let Luke go and stood up. He gave Rowan a quick glance but said nothing to him. He just stormed off and Erick was quick to chase after him. Harper just laid there on the ground, a slow smile spreading across his face. Oh yes. That was what he wanted to see. Bray hadn't said what he was going to do but Harper knew in his gut he would like it.

Dean Ambrose was about to be a problem no more.


	33. Chapter 33

Seth's aunt and uncle still had the vacation house and the spare key was thankfully under one of the flower pots on the porch. It was a nice place, stocked with plenty of booze and smokes. Dean was absolutely thrilled about that fact. He grabbed them up and all but locked himself in the room that was his for the time being. He got himself nice and drunk off a much more expensive vodka than he ever bought for himself and smoked about a half a pack of cigarettes before Seth came pounding on the door. He tried to just ignore him. He tried to stay really quiet and pretend he was asleep but he didn't fool Seth for a single second.

"Dean!" Seth pounded on the door impatiently. "Dean I know you're awake." He tried to open the door only to find it locked. "Dean please. I just want to talk to you."

"I'm fine." Dean tried not to slur those two simple words. He really did. But he failed. He gave himself away and he cursed under his breath. He had barricaded himself in this room to avoid a lecture but now there was no way he could avoid it.

"Just open the door," Seth pleaded. "Please."

Dean groaned and reluctantly got off the bed. The cigarette fell out of his mouth and hit his leg, burning him through his jeans. The cigarette fell out of his mouth and hit his leg, burning him through his jeans. He cursed and brushed it off, instinctively stepping on it to put it out. He burned his foot and the carpet in the process and cursed again. Fuck. He was going to get chewed out for that.

"Dean!"

"I'm coming I'm coming!" Dean stumbled to the door and opened it. Upon seeing Seth's concerned face he immediately felt like a tremendous asshole. He hadn't meant to upset him. He really hadn't. "Seth..."

"Jesus Dean it's not even three." Seth looked down at his watch to confirm this for himself. "What are you doing?"

Dean shrugged. "Just had a few." He didn't know why he was lying. Seth was already peering around him to see the empty bottle of vodka on the bed. "It wasn't much."

Seth frowned. The fact that Dean was lying right to his face clearly bothered him. "What the fuck are you doing man?" He grabbed Dean's face, making it so he couldn't look away. "We're right here. You know you can come to us. You don't need that shit."

But he did. Dean didn't say it out loud because he knew Seth wouldn't understand. His anxiety had fluctuated without warning, leaving him unable to be comforted by either of his friends. All he could see was Bray and what Bray would do to all of them when he got a chance. The smoking was to help chase away that anxiety while the vodka had been designed to clear his head. Two things he oh so desperately needed.

Seth sighed. He clearly had much more to say on the subject but he's too reluctant to scold or nag Dean for it. Instead he takes him by the hand and gently lead him out of the room. "Come on. Roman went to go get us food."

Dean wasn't hungry but he didn't argue. Instead he just followed Seth downstairs, hoping the meal would provide the distraction he needed. He didn't like thinking about the fact that they were hiding out with no real game plan from there. He didn't want to think about the fact that their careers had been put on hold because of a mess he got himself into. Wrestling had been the only thing he ever wanted to do with his life and now all three of them were probably going to get fired for taking off the way they did. He ruined all three of their dreams by getting himself into his mess and the guilt he felt churned his stomach.

"You know you can talk to me right?" Seth's voice cut through Dean's thoughts. He led Dean into the kitchen and sat him down at the table.

Dean blinked and watched the other man go to the cabinet and get a glass out. "What?"

"You don't always got to go to Roman." Seth poured water into the glass before coming back to the table. "I'm here too." He handed the glass to Dean and sat down next to him. "You can come to me with anything."

Dean just blinked again. He hadn't really expected to hear that. Of course he knew he could come to Seth and yeah maybe he had told Roman some stuff at the hospital that he hadn't shared with Seth and he was pretty cuddled up to Roman in the car but it wasn't like he had been trying to shut Seth out completely.

"I shouldn't have done what I did." Here they go. Maybe this was the real problem. Seth couldn't stop feeling guilty about the whole betrayal thing. Dean really wished he would stop dwelling on it. It was done. Seth had made the choice he had to make. His family had come before Dean and that was fine. Dean needed to just be grateful he was on the list at all. He couldn't just expect to be at the top of it. But here was Seth, still fucking shaken up by what he did. "I knew what he did to you-"

"Just forget it."

"He raped you. He tried to fucking kill you. He fucking hurts you and I sent you back to him."

"Being hurt is nothing new." Dean was falling into defense mode now. "People have hurt me my whole life." The amount of booze flowing through him made it easier for the words to come out. "My mom's boyfriends all beat the shit out of me. Fucking drug dealer by my house raped me when I was twelve. When I was fifteen my mom dated a guy who used to come into my bedroom to fucking touch me and is this the kind of stuff you want to hear Seth?" He saw how pale the other man's face had become but still pressed on. "There's a lot of shit Bray does that's not fucking new. Maybe he fucking scares me more than the rest but that's just how he fucking is. He's a scary son of a bitch." He rubbed the back of his neck and shrugged. "But he doesn't get tired of me. And he can be okay. You know, when he wants to be."

"To sucker you in more," Seth immediately pointed out. "He's only nice sometimes so you're more willing to take his other bullshit."

"He's not a liar..."

"He's SICK Dean." Seth's voice cracked as he said that. "He's SADISTIC. He doesn't love you. Nobody who loves you could do that shit to you."

It was the message that kept getting stressed to him over and over. That fucking message that he just couldn't fully accept. And why was it? Had he just been hurt so much in his early years that he just didn't know what to do if there wasn't someone causing him pain? Had it made him just more drawn out to it? He didn't know but he felt so stupid in his inability to fully embrace Seth and Roman's help. They were trying so hard and if he didn't knock it off and accept what they had to offer they would really get tired of him and leave. The mere thought sent a surge of panic through him. He grabbed Seth's hand and squeezed it so tight he hurt the other man. He didn't mean to but his panic made it feel like Seth was already leaving him. He couldn't let him leave. Seth and Roman were his only way out. The only chance he had for salvation. Why was he going to ruin it by being so fucking stupid?

Seth leaned forward and pressed his forehead to Dean's. He didn't say a word. He didn't have to. He just stayed there, letting Dean nearly break his hand until he steadied himself out.

The sound of the door opening made them both jump. "I got Chinese!" they heard Roman announce. They heard him kick the door shut behind him and then his heavy footsteps as he came from the hallway to the kitchen. "I know I said pizza but the Chinese place was closer so-" Roman's voice trailed off as he came in to find Seth and Dean huddled together. "What's going on?" Concern immediately spread across his face. "What happened?"

"Nothing. Just talking." Seth gave Dean a quick kiss before getting up to get him and Roman drinks. "Tell me you got me sweet and sour chicken."

"With about five million crab ragoon to go with it." Roman set the bag down on the table and started taking everything out. Seth's food came first since he was such a nasty and impatient shit when it came time for eating. "Honey shrimp or Mongolian beef?" he asked Dean. They had very similar tastes in anything they got as takeout so he had no reason to worry about Dean rejecting anything he got.

"Beef me," Dean replied. Roman obliged and divided up the egg rolls for them to share. Seth was too much of a hog to actively share his crab ragoon though Dean and roman each stole one from him anyway.

"Hey!" Seth slapped only Roman's hand.

"What the hell?" Roman just looked insulted. "Why'd you hit me? He took one too!"

"He gets one free pass. You don't." Seth tried to reclaim his precious ragoon but Roman merely shoved it all in his mouth. "You dick!"

Roman just smirked and chewed on the food happily. Seth responded by stealing an egg roll and nearly choking himself as he shoved that down his throat. Dean watched them try to outdo each other in the obnoxious chewing department and shook his head. They were just ridiculous. But it allowed him to sneak another one of Seth's crab ragoons without him noticing so it was all good to him.

* * *

 

Being backstage for Raw and Smackdown had been uncomfortable for everyone that was not a Wyatt or part of the Authority, to say the very least. Hunter and Stephanie were furious about Roman, Seth and Dean taking off and had spent hours screaming at the Usos and Tamina, nearly firing all of them when they couldn't say where The Shield had gone before Kane intervened and pointed out losing three more people wouldn't do them any bit of good. But that just meant they got to deal with the Wyatts after. Bray was still on a rampage and while neither Harper or Rowan were interested in Dean's whereabouts, they were more than okay with beating Jimmy and Jey to a pulp while Bray terrorized Tamina through the arena. He and his boys got sent home for the rest of the week for that. Not that he cared. It was too clear to him that The Usos and Tamina really didn't know anything. They had been left in the dark, most likely by design. The Shield wasn't looking to be found.

Sleep had become even more of an elusive enemy for Bray. Harper and Rowan were out in the other room but he couldn't even think about crawling into bed. He just sat in his chair, his hands gripping the arms while he rocked back and forth. His eyes were on the wall but that wasn't what he was really seeing. In his mind he wasn't even in the hotel room anymore. He was having a vision. Or at least he thought it was a vision. It was really either a daydream or some sort of insomnia induced hallucination but to him it was a vision. He was in the woods, lost but not alone in the very least. There were shadows all around him, whispering and filling him with a perverse sense of dread. He felt like a child once more. The small child who hid from his father in the attic, knees pulled up to his chest and trembling as his daddy screamed downstairs. He swore he even heard his daddy's voice among the whispers but he couldn't concern himself with that now. Not with what he saw in front of him.

Through the trees and the thorns that kept him from venturing forward stood Dean. His naked skin gleamed under the moonlight. Blue eyes were now black and his face was twisted in a mocking sneer. He was taunting him. He stood so far away, his body showing marks that weren't Bray's. He smelled of them, the other two devils that had stolen what was his. And he liked being stolen. It was written on his face. They had all played him for a fool and the realization made Bray want to scream.

"Ssssshhhh." Through the darkness her voice emerged. Abigail. His one and only true salvation. She emerged from the shadows and wrapped her arms around him. "I got you."

He instantly calmed, allowing himself to breathe as she stroked his hair. "He lied to me. He tricked me."

"He tricked the both of us." She placed a sweet kiss on the top of his head. "But you'll get him. They can't hide nearly as long as they think they can. He'll give them away and then you can strike. Just be patient."

Being patient was the last thing he wanted to do but he nodded in agreement anyway. The forest faded away and reality was upon him once again. There was no Abigail or Dean. There was only him and the clock ticking away in his head. Patience neutered him for now but oh how they would suffer. They would all suffer.

* * *

In the days that passed Dean found that he could be okay if he kept himself occupied. Throwing himself into not only what Seth and Roman wanted to do but being what they wanted him to be. He couldn't let them drop him. And while he wasn't as okay as he was trying to act, it did get better as the days turned into weeks. He didn't leave the house at all. None of them really did unless it was absolutely necessary. They didn't want fans to recognize them and spread the word on the internet. If Roman and Seth went out they went as incognito as possible and thus far it had worked. They were able to fall into a quiet sort of domestic bliss. A sheltered world that none of them really wanted to leave.

But even as his days became easier the nights still remained a problem. Nightmares plagued Dean almost every time he closed his eyes. The presence of Roman and Seth did nothing for him once the nightmares started. Hitting the bottle was the only solution...at first. Three and a half weeks into their hiding, even that stopped helping.

_He was running for his life. His heart pounded inside his chest. His mind raced wildly and his lungs burned horribly. He couldn't breathe but he couldn't take the time to stop and breathe. He could hear the footsteps getting closer and closer behind him. He tried to run faster but he couldn't shake them. "HELP!" Desperation allowed him to force a breath to utter that scream. "HELP!"_

_Nobody was there to answer. He had to keep running, finding himself on an empty street. The street he grew up on to be exact. The run down houses and apartment buildings loomed above him, the ghosts of those who ignored his plight lingering on. He felt his legs grow weak and he stumbled. He tried to regain his balance but he only fell. He hit the pavement face first, scraping his nose and chin raw. He tried to push himself up but the fall had finished him. The figure caught up to him, revealing himself to be Bray. Of course it was him. Who else would follow him into this pit of hell?_

_"You thought you could run little lamb?" Bray turned Dean over on his back and straddled his hips, effectively pinning him down. "You thought you could hide?"_

_Dean didn't answer him. He couldn't breathe again. Panic_ _coursed through his veins, rendering him useless. He wanted to_ _scream and run and beg but god he couldn't do anything. He could_ _only lay there, whimpering as his hands were pinned down above his_ _head. Bray's head came down, his lips capturing Dean's. He felt Bray_ _melt into him, his poison not only pouring down his throat but_ _seeping through his skin. He felt his insides start to crawl and his_ _blood boil. He was burning him from the inside out and god he just_ _wanted it to stop. He screamed but Bray merely swallowed the sounds,_ _continuing on in consuming him whole..._

Dean woke with a choked gasp. He fell off the couch with a thud, his mind still trapped in his nightmare. He could feel Bray's poison sweeping through him. He felt him crawling around inside of him, twisting and turning everything inside out. He had to get him out. Oh god he had to get him out.

Blind panic drove him up to his feet. He stumbled from the living room into the kitchen. Even in the dark he knew where he was going. His subconscious directed him to the drawer that held the knives. He peeled off his shirt and grabbed the biggest one. His brain was still in panic mode, leaving him awake but truly unaware of what he was doing. There was no Roman or Seth to snap him out of it. They were upstairs, passed out from having so many other sleepless nights checking on him. His screams usually woke him up but there was no screaming tonight. The poison was still suffocating him but when he pressed the knife to his chest and slid it down he felt relief. Blood flowed from the wound and some of the poison left him. Yes. This was it. He could get him out. He tightened his grip on the knife and kept going. He could get him out. He could get him all out.

* * *

Seth woke up to go to the bathroom but on his way back to the bedroom he realized just how quiet the house was. The screams from Dean hadn't yet reached his or Roman's ears. That should have been seen as a good thing. They had been wanting him to get over the nightmares forever now. But something felt wrong in that moment. At first he tried to tell himself it was nothing. Paranoia was just taking over and making him be silly. But the feeling wouldn't leave him alone and he finally went downstairs to look. He had to pass through the kitchen to get to the living room and he almost missed the figure on the floor with his mind so driven on his intended destination. But he did manage to spot it out of the corner of his eye and did a double take. "Dean?" His hand found the light switch and he screamed. Dean was passed out on the floor, his entire body a bloody, cut up mess. A knife laid in his slack hand and his eyes were closed, his chest giving no rise or fall to indicate any sign of life.

"DEAN!" Seth ran to his side, skidding on his knees and sliding through the blood on the floor to get to Dean's side. "DEAN!" His fingers went to Dean's neck, barely feeling the blood there as he frantically searched for a pulse. One was there but it was weak. It was oh so weak already and getting weaker. "ROMAN!" Seth didn't know where to start putting the pressure so he scooped Dean into his arms and squeezed, hoping to get everywhere at once. "ROMAN WAKE UP! ROMAN!" He kissed Dean's forehead and managed to stand up despite how his legs were shaking. "Please don't die. Don't fucking die on me. Don't fucking die please..."


	34. Chapter 34

Roman never remembered the actual drive to the hospital. It was probably a small miracle though that he didn't crash the car along the way. Seth sat in the back with Dean, trying to stop the bleeding with towels they grabbed before leaving the house. Seth thought he had it slowed down and Dean's pulse was still going...barely. Roman didn't want to think about how long he had been laying there until Seth found him. He didn't want to think about what had driven him to do it. He just drove, slamming on the brakes in front of the emergency room doors. He didn't care if he wasn't allowed to actually park there. He just jumped out of the car and ran around to the other side, taking Dean right out of Seth's arms. Seth's shirt was covered in blood and Roman felt his stomach turn at the sight. Fuck. Dean looked so fucking small and pale in his arms. Even if it wasn't it still felt like it was too late. It felt like they already lost him.

"HELP!" Roman was barely in the door before he started screaming. "WE NEED HELP!"

The nurses looked up and did a double take before coming over. "What happened?" one of them asked.

"He cut himself up." Roman put Dean down on the stretcher that was wheeled to him but didn't completely let him go. He kept a hold of his hand, convinced that if he did let go completely that would be it. Dean would actually be gone. "We found him on the kitchen floor. The knife was still in his hand." He looked back at Seth who had joined his side. "We don't know how long he was down for. He lost a lot of blood."

"Do you know his blood type?"

"What?" Roman could only blink stupidly at the question.

"A positive. Same as mine." How Seth knew that Roman had no fucking idea. What he did know was that they were all trying to make him let go of Dean's hand. He tried to object. Tried to go back there with him. But Seth pulled him back and had to all but tackle him so the nurses and doctors could wheel Dean away. Roman wanted to scream at him. They had to go to Dean. They couldn't leave him. But Seth held him tight, digging his heels against the floor to combat Roman's resistance.

"They'll save him." It was hard to tell if Seth was trying to convince Roman or himself. "We gotta let them do it okay?" He pet Roman's hair gently, moving it away so he could kiss his cheek. "He'll be okay."

Roman couldn't see how that was possible. Even if Dean lived there was no telling the damage he had done to himself. But Roman couldn't let himself think about that. He swallowed hard and let Seth lead him to the waiting room so they could sit. Neither of them noticed that they had been recognized. A little boy with his mother stared at them with wide eyes while a teenaged girl grabbed her phone to covertly send her boyfriend a picture of the two blood stained men. They just sank down into two of the empty chairs, Roman's face buried in his hands while Seth kept his arms locked around him. All they could do now was wait.

* * *

TMZ was the first website to report on Dean's suicide attempt. An intern at the hospital gave them the tip and they ran with the story, leaving the dirt sheets to report on it soon after. The news sparked a wildfire in the wrestling community, among both fans and wrestlers alike. The Shield's sudden disappearance had been the talk of the town to begin with so what happened with Dean only added fuel to the fire. Hunter and Stephanie were furious to have to find out from other websites rather than getting a call but maintain a resemblance of professionalism they kept that to themselves and took the next flight out to New Mexico. The plans they had to punish The Shield for taking off like they did were put to the back burner. It would make them look too bad if their actions weren't anything of those but concerned and dutiful employers.

The whispers were how Bray found out. They spread through the arena, filling his heart with elation. Dean had not only been found but he he was prime for the taking. He hadn't woken up since being taken to the hospital and Bray hoped he wouldn't. Not until he got down there anyway. In the past three weeks Bray had made up his mind about what he was going to do and he wanted Dean awake for it. He wanted him to know it was him. He wanted those blue eyes to lock on to his so he could watch Dean realize he only had himself to blame. It hadn't had to be like this. He was the one who ruined it. Despite everything he had left Bray to burn in this lonely pit and he had to pay. Bray couldn't rest until he did.

"We'll come with you," Harper offered yet again. He and Rowan were right on Bray's heels, Rowan silent and Harper worried. He thought Bray was going to cave and just bring Dean home again. It wasn't an unreasonable fear. Bray knew Dean made him weak. Even now there was a part of his heart fluttering like a school girl's just at the thought of Dean. "You don't have to do this alone."

"I do," he replied firmly.

"What if he tries to trick you?"

"He won't. I won't let him."

Harper clearly didn't believe that but Bray didn't really care. He had to get moving. His will was strong now but he didn't want to give himself the chance to fold. The sooner he got this over with, the better off he would be.

* * *

_Dean didn't recognize the room he found himself in. Only a single light bulb hung above him but it seemed like it would go out at any moment. He was sitting on an old, moth eaten couch. The cushion he was on was so sunken in he felt like he was just going to be completely eaten by it. It was cold here; so cold he couldn't stop shivering. He looked around, gulping when he didn't see a door. "Roman!" His voiced cracked as he cried out. "Seth!"_

_"They can't hear you. Nobody can hear you here."_

_Dean stiffened. The low, gravelly voice was all too_ _familiar. He craned his head back and watched another him step out of the shadows. God why was this a pattern with him? He needed to talk to someone about this. Though thankfully, it wasn't the version of him that he had been seeing in his nightmares involving Bray. This one was younger, his hair longer and shaggier and more blond. He wore sunglasses along with an oversized black hoodie and tattered blue jeans. Even with his eyes obscured though Dean swore he could see the look in them. The mix of pity and disgust that made him shift uncomfortably from where he was sitting. "Where am I?"_

_His doppelgänger took a glance around before shrugging his shoulder. "Does it matter?"_

_"Yeah. I'd like to fucking get out of here."_

_"Do you?" Oh great. This one wasn't crazy. It just was going to be annoying. "I mean, you put yourself here."_

_Dean frowned, involuntarily flinching as the other him flopped down beside him. "What do you mean?"_

_"Look at yourself." Something in Dean's head told him not to look. It told him he didn't want to see but he found himself obeying the order anyway. His eyes grew wide as he saw the state of his body. Shirtless and covered in blood. Oh god. He did this to himself. He fucking cut himself all to shit. "Oh fuck me..." He gingerly touched his torso, wincing at not only the pain but from the realization that he got his wrists as well. "Am I dying?" He worried looked to the other him and swallowed hard. "Am I fucking dying?"_

_"You might make it." The other him sounded so casual about_ _it. "You weren't down as long as Seth and Roman think but you lost a shit ton of blood." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a half empty packet of cigarettes. "You're probably better off if you don't make it out of here honestly." He took one of the cigarettes out and stuck it in his mouth. "With the way you're fucking going it'll be a mercy. For all of us."_

_Dean just sat there and glared at him. "What the fuck is_ _that supposed to mean?"_

_The other him just stared at him incredulously. "You're_ _kidding right? Look at you! You're pathetic." He took a lighter out_ _of his pocket and lit the tip of the cigarette. "I know you had_ _rough shit happen to you but god damn man." He inhaled deeply before_ _deliberately exhaling into Dean's face. "You let Bray take your_ _balls and fucking put them down the god damn drain. You fucking_ _turned into the victim you slammed other people for being."_

_"You don't know what he's like-"_

_"I know exactly what he's like. I'm you." The other him took another drag from his cigarette. "And you should be scared of him. He'll fucking kill you if he gets the chance. But this whole fucking thing where you're his little bitch isn't the fucking way to go." He reached out and smacked Dean upside the head. "He don't love you. He thinks he does sure. He's not a liar. But what he actually loves is this idea of you he's created in his head. He loves this thing he can turn you into. You're not the prize. The broken shell he's turned you into is the fucking prize."_

_"So what am I supposed to do? Fight him?" Dean didn't try to deny the words he just heard. In his heart he knew they were true. "You know what he's done. Being what he wants is fucking easier."_

_"It still don't give you what you want."_

_"Does it even matter what I want?"_

_"Not with that attitude it won't." The other him acted like he was going to hit him upside the head again but then stopped. "He's gonna kill you no matter what now. You know that." He leaned over and got right in Dean's face. "So the question is what CAN you do?" He licked his lips. "Way I see it you got three options. One: you die and become this tragic story. Roman and Seth blame themselves and you tear them apart from the inside. Two: you wake up and stay as pathetic as you are now. Bray gets you and you become another statistic when it comes to the world of abusive domestic shit. Or three: you wake up and fucking quit your self pity parade and fucking live like it's your fucking life and you're actually worth something. Sure Bray might still get you but you could at least have some god damn dignity." He pushed himself off the chair and kissed the top of Dean's head. "It's your choice."_

_Dean blinked, his head swimming from the words. "Wait wait..." He shook his head as the other him started to fade away. "No no no wait come back. Don't-" His voice died as he found himself all alone once more. "Damn it!" He put his hands over his face and took deep, ragged breaths. Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck._

* * *

The doctors had been able to stabilize Dean which was the good news. The bad news was he was showing no signs of waking up any time soon. The doctors were saying it should be soon but it wasn't happening soon enough for him and Roman. They were in his hospital room now, Roman on the left side of Dean's bed while Seth took up the right. Roman was looking down at his lap, unable to even look at Dean in the state he was in. It was all Seth could do though. He was hooked up to machines still, which were monitoring him ever so closely. The blood had been cleaned off him and his wounds bandaged but how he had been in the kitchen was still so burned in Seth's memory that he didn't know how he would ever forget it.

"Do you think we should talk to him?" Roman finally had to break the silence. He forced himself to look up, alternating his glances between Dean and Seth. "They say people can like hear you still when they're like this."

They did say that. He wasn't wrong. But Seth wasn't sure what to say. Or if his voice would even work at all. But Roman was looking at him hopefully and he couldn't just not try. They had already failed Dean; he couldn't just add Roman to the list.

Seth cleared his throat and leaned over the bed, his hand finding Dean's to rest over. "We love you." He didn't know where else to start besides from that. "You know we love you." He swallowed despite the lump forming in his throat. "You gotta stop doing this to us man." He rubbed his thumb over the top of Dean's hand. "We can't keep like losing you and shit." His lips twitched. "What would we do without you?"

"Yeah," Roman agreed. He took Dean's other hand and forced a little smile. "I gotta have someone to make fun of Seth's Crossfit nerd status with me."

"And someone has to keep me entertained when Roman puts on his terrible music." Seth almost laughed but he couldn't quite manage it. "We've always needed you." The attempts at being light hearted were over now. "There wouldn't be a Shield without you. I know we grew apart and I'm sorry that it took shit like this to bring us back together." He took a deep breath. "We'll do better." Maybe it was futile to promise this since he thought they had been doing their best but he was doing it anyway. He had to do something. "We'll fucking do better okay? Just come back to us." He got up and leaned over the bed. "Come back to us." He placed a soft kiss on Dean's forehead. "Please."

* * *

_The room he had been in had been in melted away and Dean was running. Where he was running to he had no idea. It was too dark to see more than his own hand in front of his face. There were things all around him in the dark. He could feel their eyes on him even if he couldn't see them. He could feel their hands reaching for them, trying to pull him down. He wrenched himself free each time they touched him but they just kept at it. He steeled himself and ran faster, doing his best to keep his hands out in front of him as he went. There had to be a way out of here. Or at least a part of this place with some light. Anything to let him see and make the feeling of his world collapsing in on him go away._

_"Little lamb!"_

_Dean felt his insides turn to ice at the voice. He forced himself to run faster. He couldn't tell where Bray was but he had to get away._

_"Little lamb!"_

_Dean's legs turned to rubber. He tried to power through it. He really did. But they gave out on him and he was falling. His stomach rose up to his throat and then he crashed violently to the ground. The landing knocked the air out of him, leaving him only able to lay there and stare upwards as a light appeared above him. He blinked, his eyes protesting at having to make the sudden adjustment. By the time he could actually see Bray was standing above him, his eyes blazing and a bloody baseball bat dangling from his hands._

_"Look at you." Bray shook his head in what could almost be called sadness. "Such a sad little lamb." He waved the baseball bat around, letting drops of blood fly off and hit Dean in the face. "No friends. No family. No hope. There's nothing but me." He leaned down and put his face just inches from me. "My pathetic little lamb." He chuckled. "All you got is this darkness. There's no escape. There never was."_

_The words were meant to make him wilt. They should have done the trick. They had done it so many times before. But now it suddenly just made something snap inside of him. His head shot forward, smashing into Bray's face with as much force as he could muster. Bray stumbled back, the bat slipping from his hand in the process. Dean scrambled up to his feet and grabbed the bat. He didn't think about what he was about to do. He just swung the bat as hard as he could. It connected with the side of Bray's head, making the most sickening cracking noise. Dean was felt with a sudden euphoria. Power. He had it. For the first time ever he felt like he truly had it. An animalistic scream left his mouth and he swung the bat again. And again. And again. Over and over he swung it, making Bray's skull crack open and brain matter littered the bat and the floor beneath them. The muscles in his arm burned but he still didn't stop. Not until he physically couldn't lift his arms up another time. The bat slipped from his hand and Dean dropped down to his knees. Tears burned the corner of his eyes and after only a few seconds he stopped trying to resist. He let them fall while his screams turned into...laughter? Was he laughing? He didn't know. It was hard to tell. His head felt so light. The weight was off his chest. He felt...okay. For the first time in forever he felt okay._

Dean's eyes opened and the okay feeling vanished. His body felt weak and god did he hurt. "Fuuuuck." He winced and looked around. He was in a hospital bed, Seth and Roman right by his side. Their eyes widened and he winced, already knowing that he just put them through hell. "Hey..."


	35. Chapter 35

"Am I gonna get put in the psych ward?"

Roman cringed at the fear in Dean's voice. His mouth tasted like blood from biting his tongue so hard. A wave of anger had taken over after the initial relief of Dean being awake had worn off but he made himself keep his temper in check. Going off just because he had gotten the shit scared out of him was not going to do any good. "I think they have to." He knew that wasn't what Dean wanted to hear but he had to be honest. "You tried to kill yourself."

"It wasn't a suicide attempt," Dean insisted yet again. He tried to sit up but Seth pushed him back down. "Not like an intentional one or whatever."

"I don't think they care about intent." Seth moved his hand off Dean's chest and gently stroked his hair. "They're stuck on the fact that you carved yourself up like a Thanksgiving turkey."

Dean groaned. "Shiiiiit." He rubbed his hands over his face. Despite looking absolutely worn out there was a clear look in his eyes that gave Roman hope. For the first time in a long time he looked to truly be relaxed and at peace. Maybe this whole suicide thing (Roman wasn't about to call it anything else despite Dean's objections) had been a blessing in disguise. That was perhaps the weirdest thought he had ever had but it was too true to dismiss.

"It could be good for you." Seth decided to step in with the attempt at optimism. "You could talk to a professional about shit."

"I don't want to talk to a professional." Dean shifted around to try to get more comfortable. "I just want him to stay away." He swallowed hard. "I'm just so fucking tired of this. " He looked down at the IV in his hand. "I'm tired of being pathetic."

"You're not-"

"I am." Dean cut Roman off quickly. "I have been. But I want to be better. I do. I want him out."

"We know." Seth squeezed his hand reassuringly. "We'll find a way to keep him away."

Dean nodded, accepting those words. Truly accepting them this time. It almost felt too good to be true. Dean wanted Bray out. He really did.

"What changed man?" Roman didn't have to clarify as to what he was talking about. He knew Dean would know.

Dean shrugged. "I just had some fucked up dreams." His lips twitched into a hint of a smile. "I dreamt that I bashed his head in. He was after me again and saying his shit but something just like snapped in me. And I fucking killed him. And I just...I don't know. I got like clarirty or something." He shrugged again. "Or maybe I just want to die with dignity. I don't know."

"Nobody's dying around here," Seth said quickly. "Don't even start with that."

Dean was far from convinced. "Come on man. You know what the fuck he's like. God only knows what he's been planning." He let out a long sigh. "I just...I'm tired of being his butt monkey."

"...But monkey?" Roman let those words hang in the air before a fit of laughter busted out of him. He didn't mean for it to. But he couldn't stop it. Seth and Dean exchanged looks before cracking themselves. Dean's laugh was more of a chuckle. He was took weak for anything else. Seth's was a full on giggle, which made Roman laugh all the harder. Tension that had been building for so long from everything going on slipped out of them. In that moment it felt like nothing had ever happened. No Bray, no time periods where they had slipped away from each other...they were together and they were fucking solid again.

A sudden knock on the door brought an abrupt end to their moment. Roman started to get out of his chair when the door opened anyway. Roman's breath caught in his throat. He expected it to be Bray. It would be brazen even for him but it wasn't something to be put past him. Thankfully it wasn't him. The relief was short-lived though. It was actually Hunter and Stephanie and he could tell by their eyes that they were in a world of trouble. Not that he expected anything less. Not with the way they had just taken off.

"We heard you gave everyone quite the scare." Stephanie directed the comment directly to Dean. "It's good to see you're alright." It was hard to tell if she was being sincere. The Authority's faux nice routine was one they had down to a science. But Dean didn't seem to be the least bit bothered by her. Stephanie could scare a lot of people but Dean was not one of them. He had been through too much to let a dragon boss lady get to him. "We already made some calls and are flying in the best therapist in the country for you."

Dean just gave her a brief nod. Roman knew he didn't want to talk to one still but he wasn't bothering to argue with Stephanie over it.

"We need to step outside and talk." Hunter spoke now and he did so to Seth and Roman.

"What's wrong with talking in here?" Seth gave a quick look to Dean. "Here's good."

"Here is good," Roman agreed.

"Dean needs rest," Stephanie argued. "We'll talk to him later."

"But-"

"Just go." Dean ended Seth's argument right there. "Get it over with. Give me the cliff notes after."

Hunter smirked. "Oh we'll be talking to you later. You can count on that."

"Fantastic." Dean's voice oozed sarcasm. He motioned for Roman and Seth to go despite their further objections.

Roman sighed and reluctantly got up. He didn't want to go but Dean had a point. They should just get it over with. "Are you sure you'll be okay?"

Dean nodded. "Just give me the remote."

"See?" Hunter walked over and put a hand on Roman's shoulder. "He's in a hospital anyway. The doctors are one press of a button away." He pointed to the little button right by Dean's side that would call a nurse if one was needed. "Nothing's going to happen to him."

* * *

It wasn't hard to find the hospital Dean was at. Once the news broke on the websites the wrestling fans came out in flocks, tracking down where TMZ had reported from and gathered around in hopes of getting a glimpse of the troubled WWE superstar. All Bray had to do was find them. To be the moth to their flame. Getting past them to get into the hospital though was trickier. They were everywhere and searching for any way to piggyback their way inside. He had to go into the parking lot and take down one of the incoming doctors, locking him in the trunk of his own car and putting on his uniform. It didn't exactly fit but it was good enough to suit his purposes. He slipped inside and made his way down the halls, people barely giving him a second look. With no name tag or anything the hospital staff just assumed he was new and the patients had no way of knowing anything.

The all too familiar sound of Stephanie's incessant screaming filled his ears. She was berating Rollins and Reigns. Bray smirked. Perfect. That meant Dean was close by. Reigns and Rollins wouldn't stray too far from him no matter what their precious Mommy and Daddy had to say about it. He began to hum to himself and quickened his pace. He wasn't going to have a lot of time. But it was better that way. If he had to keep it quick he could make a cleaner break. His heart wouldn't have to hurt any more. Nothing would have to hurt at all.

* * *

There was absolutely nothing on TV. Dean flipped through every single channel before flipping through them once more. Each search brought up nothing that appealed to him at all. He growled in frustration and started once again. The rerun of American Dad was not in his taste at all but he didn't like scary things so a rerun of The Walking Dead was out and after everything with Bray, the reruns of Criminal Minds and Law and Order SVU had less than zero appeal to him. His eyes kept going to the clock, wincing as more and more time went by. Seth and Roman were surely in big trouble and it was all his fault. Sure they had come up with the idea of leaving but they had done it to protect him. If someone was going to be facing serious consequences for this he would rather it be him than them.

The show became insufferable and he started flipping through the channels again. His attention was so focused on the television that he didn't hear the door open at first. It wasn't until the click of the door shutting reached his ears that he looked to see who it was. His eyes locked on to Bray's and the remote slipped from his hand. Shit. He wasn't surprised by this by any stretch of the imagination. Of course Bray would find him. He supposed it wasn't a secret. Secrets didn't stay that way in the wrestling world, no matter what they were or who they involved. But he had just been hoping for more time. The strength he gained from his dream was really only mental. Blood transfusions or not his body still felt weak. It still hurt to move. And even as his thumb hit the button to get a nurse he knew one wouldn't get there in time. Bray was already coming towards him, eyes blazing in fury.

"No!" He let go of the button and ripped the IVs they still had in his arm right out. A rush of adrenaline went through him as he threw himself out of the bed. A wave of dizziness hit him immediately and his knees buckled. He crashed to the floor and his vision started to go black. "No no no." He shook it off and forced himself up to his feet. He had to get out. The door was so close. He went right for it but he didn't make it. It wasn't close enough. Bray's hand grabbed him by the hair and the net thing he knew he was being thrown back. The force of the throw was more than he could ever expect. He landed inside the small bathroom the room had, his head nearly hitting the edge of the toilet as he landed. He pushed himself up, almost to his feet when Bray shoved him right back down. Bray slammed the door shut behind them. He locked it as well and Dean felt the color drain even more from his face. Oh god. This was it. He knew from the look in Bray's eyes that this was it. This was the same look he had the night at the warehouse.

"You said you loved me." Bray's voice was quiet. So quiet Dean almost didn't hear him. Somehow it was scarier than any yelling he could have done. "You looked me in my eyes and told me you loved me." He closed in on Dean, planting his feet on either side of his hips before plopping down and pinning him there. "You lied to me." He was still talking oh so quiet but the fury was just radiating off of him. "You made a fool out of me." He placed a hand over his chest, his fingers tapping along where his heart was. "You strung me along like a puppet. Twisted me up and spat me right back out."

"Me? What fucking turn of events were you watching?" Oh it was so dumb to argue with him about this. It was useless and dumb and going to get him killed even worse but fuck it. Better to die mouthy and defiant than the pitiful thing he had let himself be turned into. "Look what you did to me." He propped himself on his elbows and forced himself to keep looking into "

"Mr. Ambrose?" The nurse's voice just outside the door cut him off. "Mr. Ambrose what's going on?"

"Help!" Dean put both hands against Bray's chest and tried to push him off. "H-"

Bray swatted his hands away and wrapped his own around Dean's throat. Dean's eyes widened as the crushing grip cut off his airway completely. He dug his nails into Bray's hand, trying to force him to let go. Bray held tight, his eyes lighting with a maniacal glee. Dean's hands reached up, pulling at his beard and his hair and when that didn't work trying to gouge his eyes instead. Fucking anything to make him let go. There was a pounding on the door but it didn't feel like it was getting any louder. Everything was fading fast. Everything was turning black and his hands fell limply to his sides. This was it. That was the only thing he could coherently think. This was it. This was fucking it.

And suddenly Bray was gone. As he was fading out the door had been kicked off its hinges and Roman, who had returned with Seth to find the nurse trying to get into the bathroom, practically tackled Bray right off him. Oxygen rushed back into Dean's lungs as he gasped. His vision cleared and he turned to see Roman had mounted Bray, his fists flying furiously. The nurses were screaming and calling for help while Stephanie and Hunter (who for whatever reason returned to the room as well) tried to pull Roman off themselves.

"Roman! Roman that's enough!"

Hunter's words went unheeded. Roman's fists kept flying, a pure animalisitc snarl passing through his lips.

"Roman! Roman STOP!" Stephanie tried now but her words and efforts were having as little effect as Hunter's.

"Kill him!" Seth was yelling now. He knelt down right by Dean's side, pulling him into his arms while he watched Roman go. "FUCKING KILL HIM!"

"ROLLINS!" Hunter shot Seth a glare.

"He deserves it!" Seth snarled.

"Just get Dean out of here!" Stephanie barked. "Now!"

Seth glared at her but did what she said anyway. Mostly for Dean's benefit rather than because she said so. Dean groaned and wrapped his arms around Seth's neck as the younger man stood up, his throat throbbing something terribly. "I got you," Seth assured him. He kissed his forehead and carried him past the doctors that were rushing in to help stop Roman. "I got you."

Dean nodded and rested his head against Seth's shoulder. He could still hear everyone screaming at Roman. If they didn't stop him he was going to beat Bray to death. And that thought didn't bother him in the very least.


	36. Chapter 36

Bray was taken away in handcuffs for his attempt on Dean's life. Roman nearly went away on them too but the screaming fit Seth went into and the nurses vouching that Roman had saved Dean's life and had just gotten carried away in a well-meaning rage. By the time Dean was released from the hospital Bray was already out on bail. Seth and Roman were infuriated but Dean wasn't surprise. Broken up or not, he was still pretty much trapped in an ultra fucked up domestic violence situation. And in all his experience from seeing his mother go through it as well as most of the women in the shit hole apartment building hew grew up in, until one of them ended up dead the perpetrators never stayed locked up for long. Stephanie and Hunter indefinitely suspended Bray along with Harper and Rowan for good measure. On top of that they were able to have their lawyers secure a restraining order for Dean against Bray that wouldn't allow him to come within a hundred feet of him until further notice. What good that was going to do Dean still hadn't figured it out. If Bray still wanted to come after him even after Roman beat his face in then there was nothing any of them were really going to be able to do to stop him.

With their cover in Santa Fe blown they went back to Seth and Roman's home in Florida. Since they were a package deal and neither leader of the Authority wanted to appear to insensitive, they let Roman and Seth stay home with Dean as he was allowed more recovery time. Before he could go back to work he was to have sessions with Dr. Walsh, a fifty some year old broad they hired to make sure he really wasn't going to try to off himself again. He didn't want to do it. The thought of telling some stranger a bunch of his personal shit made his stomach twist and turn but he didn't have a choice. If he wanted to go back to work and maybe reclaim some normalcy in his life he had to grit his teeth and get through this.

Dr. Walsh's features were narrow, making her look all severe and stern. She sat across from Dean in a regular wooden chair, not bothered by the fact that his feet were kicked up on to her coffee table. Her hands were folded on her leg that was crossed, a tape recorder sitting in between them so she wouldn't have to take notes through the whole session. She didn't jump into the nitty gritty stuff right away. Instead she asked him how he got into wrestling and all that kind of shit. He answered her wearily, rambling like he tended to do in promotional interviews. She nodded along, letting him talk quite awhile until she decided to slip in the harder stuff.

"What do your parents think of your career choice?"

He shrugged. "Don't really know my dad. He's never really been in my life."

"What about your mother?"

"What about her?"

"How did she feel about you wanting to be a wrestler?"

He shrugged again. "She didn't fucking care. If it didn't involve her next fix it went one ear and out the other."

"How long did she struggle with addiction?"

"Who said she ever fucking stopped?" Dean rubbed the back of his neck and shifted uncomfortably on the couch. "I mean she like sent me a letter or something so maybe she was telling me she stopped. I don't know."

"You didn't read it?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"I didn't want to."

Dr. Walsh switched which legs were crossed and settled her hands down on that knee. "How was your relationship with her when you were growing up?"

"What relationship?" His hands moved down his legs so he could play with the frayed edges by his knees. "She had her drugs and her booze and her parade of men. She didn't need me."

"What kind of men did she date?"

"Pimps. Drug dealers. Fellow addicts. Just a bunch of fucking scum."

"How did they treat you?"

"Like shit."

"How did they treat her?"

"Like shit. Most of them knocked us both the fuck around."

"So violence was a staple in your home?"

"I know where you're going with this." Dean didn't want to do the runaround. He didn't need to be gently led to a conclusion that he already fucking knew.

"Where am I heading with it?" She asked as if she didn't already know. It didn't seem like she was trying to be condescending with the question. At least he didn't think so. Maybe he was wrong.

"You're gonna say that I'm like following my mother's behavior or whatever." He twirled his finger around one of the strings and wound it so tight the digit started changing colors. "And maybe you're right. She was...is...an addict. I had a drug problem. She had fucked up relationships. I've had fucked up relationships. Her exes all beat her to hell and mine just tried to kill me." He chuckled bitterly. "Isn't this shit your bread and butter?"

"Do you blame her?"

"Am I supposed to?"

"I'm not telling you what you're supposed to do. I just want to know how you feel."

Dean shrugged. "I don't know. She fucked me up but a lot of other people fucked me up too." He pulled the string around his finger more tightly.

"Have you thought about forgiving them?"

"I don't want to even think about them."

"Forgiveness is a big part of letting go."

"There's shit you just don't fucking forgive. I don't want it fucking dominating me and making me into this whiny little bitch but I'm not going to call my mother up and tell her I forgive her for neglecting me and turning the other cheek when I needed her the most. I'm not doing it." He unwound his finger from the string and folded his arms over his chest. "I want to let it all go but there's shit I won't forgive. It don't deserve forgiveness." He glanced around, frustrated that there wasn't even a clock in the room. "I'm not here to talk about her. I'm here to tell you I'm fine. That I'm not gonna let Bray be in my head anymore and drive me to fucking cut myself to shit. I'm done with it."

"Do you want to talk about your relationship with Bray?"

No. He did not. "What's there to say? I got in with a backwoods cult leader. I should have known better."

"Cult leaders are very charismatic and charming. It's not hard to fall under their spell."

Dean just grunted. That was true but that wasn't actually making him feel better.

"Did he want you a part of the cult?"

"No. I was his. Only his."

"How long were you with him?"

"Three months."

Light brown eyebrows cocked up but Dr. Walsh quickly masked her surprise. "When did things start to go wrong?"

"Two months in." Dean reached down and grabbed the bottle of water he brought with him. "He started getting crazy possessive. And I like didn't realize how bad it was getting until he showed up at my fucking apartment." He unscrewed the cap off the bottle and took a long drink. He put the cap back on and set the bottle down once more before speaking again. "It just all spiraled the fuck out of control from there."

"Did you love him?"

Dean took a long time to think about that. "I think I loved how he made me feel."

"How did he make you feel?"

"Wanted. He wasn't going to leave me like everyone else." His lips twitched. "That was all I ever wanted but he made it all sick and twisted." He rubbed his hands over his face. "The things he said to me...the things he did...I was fucking sick with him. And now he's sick with me."

"Do you think he'll come after you again?"

"It's only a matter of time."

"What are you going to do if he does?"

"Survive...or die trying."

* * *

_The moon shone brightly through the windows, giving Bray just enough light to watch Dean ride him. His body was soaked in sweat, his wild mop of light brown hair sticking to his scalp as he slammed down on Bray's cock over and over. Bray kept his hands on Dean's hips, his own rising to drive himself even deeper inside the smaller man. Dean's hands rested into his chest, his nails digging into his chest. His breaths were short and erratic, punctuated with whimpers and whines._

_"Bray...oh fuck..." Dean swallowed hard and shook his hair out of his eyes. "I wanna cum. Let me cum."_

_"Not yet." Bray thrusted up faster. He wanted to roll them over so he was on top and totally in control but the sight of Dean above him was too gorgeous to give up._

_Dean whined. "Please...fuck Bray please..."_

_"Beg me." Bray smirked as Dean whined again. "Beg me darlin.'_

_"Bray please!" How quick Dean was to give in. "Bray please please please let me cum let me-"_

A sharp clap of thunder sounded, jarring Bray out of his sleep and away from his dream. He laid there in bed, staring up at the ceiling as it sunk in that Dean wasn't there with him. Dean was gone. Dean had abandoned him and his attack dog Roman had beat his face in to hell. He felt his cock go limp at that memory and he forced himself to sit up. He was back home at the compound, stewing in everything that had been happening. Nobody had been able to come near him without nearly getting their heads torn off. None of his family was happy about what had been going on. Most had offered to help get revenge on who hurt him while Harper and Rowan just wanted him to forget Dean even existed. The latter was impossible. He had been trying but every single moment without Dean was eating him alive. The Lunatic Fringe had taken him over. He had looked to take the other man over and now look at him. So fucking pathetic. He had to claw Dean out. He had to make this stop. He had tried and failed at the hospital but Roman had stopped him.

Bray chuckled under his breath. Roman. Oh Roman. The protective watch dog. The man had threatened his daughter, taken Dean and beat him all to hell. Just thinking about it made his blood boil. This couldn't stand. This couldn't fucking stand. He rolled out of bed and slipped his clothes on. Once he was dressed he left the room, heading down the hall and nearly colliding into Harper, who had just been coming up the stairs. They were so used to the dark that they could see each other's faces perfectly. Harper saw the wheels turning in his head and he stopped, his head tilting to the side slowly. Bray stared back at him, just waiting to see what he would say.

"Remember what you once told me?"

Bray was silent. He told his followers a lot of things. He was going to need that narrowed right on down.

"One of the first things you told me was what she taught you about vengeance."

Bray stiffened. Oh yeah. He remembered that. '

"If you go and do this, you'll have to dig two graves. One for him and one for you." Harper put his hand on Bray's shoulder. "Is that what you want?"

"It's not about what I want. It's what I need." Bray put his own hand on Harper's shoulder before pressing his forehead to his. "I may be digging my own grave but that does not mean I'll stay in it." He placed his free hand over his chest. "There is nothing they can do that will truly hurt me. I may go down but I will rise again." His lips twitched into a smile. The first genuine smile he had given in a long time. "They however?" His voice dropped so low Harper almost didn't hear him despite their proximity. "They will fall. They'll all fall." Bray let him go and stepped around him. "Take care of things until I return. This won't take long."


	37. Chapter 37

"You guys should really go see them." Dean felt like he had made this argument a million times over already. He laid stretched out on the couch, his head turned away from the TV he was supposed to be watching to look at Seth and Roman instead. Seth was stretched out on the floor, trying to work out a kink in his left knee. Flipping around out of the ring every which way and landing on his feet caused its fair share of problems. Roman was on the chair, his attention floating from the TV to Seth and now Dean thanks to him speaking. Through the whole day Dean had been trying to get both of them to go off and see their families. After everything Seth's family had gone through they surely needed him and Roman's probably could use some sort of in person explanation.

"We're not going anywhere," Roman said yet again. "We've talked to them on the phone. They're fine."

"Yeah," Seth agreed. "We're not leaving you."

Dean sighed. He appreciated the fact that they wanted to stay by his side. He really did. But they were making his attempts to keep them safe really really hard. Bray was going to be coming. He knew that. The questions that remained were when and how. Would he come bursting in the front door in broad daylight? Or would he slip in during the night and strike before they realized? Or would it be some other way? These questions kept swirling around in his brain. And he just wanted Roman and Seth to be safe. This was all going to end violently and bloody and he didn't want them here for it. This was his mess at the end of the day. He had to be the one to clean it up. "They're your family."

"And you're ours," Roman replied. "Wyatt came for you at the hospital. Odds are he'll be looking to come here for you." Of course they were figuring that. They weren't stupid. And they were just as stubborn as he was. They were all so stubborn he had to stop and wonder sometimes how they had managed to exist as a team for so long. Three headstrong personalities was typically a recipe for a disaster yet here they were, still standing. Not for long if Bray had his way but at least for now they were still standing.

"I'm not asking you to fight him for me."

"You don't have to." Seth pushed himself off the floor and tapped Dean's legs until he moved them. "You know we got your back." He sat down and let Dean drape his legs over his lap. "It's kind of insulting you think you can get rid of us so easy."

"Yeah, because wanting to save you guys should be insulting."

"You're the priority here. You don't have to save us." Roman wasn't looking to discuss it any further. He turned his attention back to the TV and made a face. "What the hell are we even watching?"

"The Breakfast Club." Seth looked positively insulted that Roman even would ask. "How do you not know this? It's a classic."

"It's stupid."

"It is not!"

"Why couldn't we watch what I want?"

"Because your movies suck." Seth jabbed a finger at the television. "This is a movie that spoke to an entire generation. Everyone can identify with someone on here." He pointed to Roman. "You're the athlete." He pointed to Dean. "You're the basket case."

"Excuse me?" Dean raised his foot to kick Seth in the rib.

"Or you could be the criminal. Your choice." Seth shrugged and pointed to himself. "And I'm the-"

"Princess!" Dean finished with a shit eating grin.

"The BRAIN asshole!"

Roman snorted. "Nah he's right. You're the princess."

"Fuck you guys!" Seth folded his arms over his chest and pouted. "I'm not the fucking princess." He watched them exchange looks and he let out a childish whine. "Guys! I'm not the god damn princess!"

"Sure you're not." Dean put his foot down and moved his hands underneath his head. He smirked as Roman snickered and Seth kept on pouting. "Whatever you say your highness."

Seth clenched his fists tightly. "If you do not shut up right now Bray won't even get to kill you."

"Alright alright...Princess Rollins."

"DEAN!"

Dean cackled, Roman chuckled and Seth just stormed out of the room. None of them sensed the pair of eyes watching them through the window. Dean almost did. There was a moment he felt his hair stand up on the back of his neck but Seth's renewed yelling about not being the princess distracted him and the feeling soon passed. From his perch, Bray smirked. They were right where he wanted them.

* * *

Roman was the one who couldn't sleep that night. Therapy and anxiety medication made it so Dean could actually sleep and Seth had tired himself out with a workout. Roman had tried to do the same thing but all he had managed to do was make his arms and legs sore. So now he just laid there in bed, sandwiched in between Seth and Dean. Both of them had their heads rested on his chest and their arms wrapped around his stomach. Seth's leg was thrown over his and Dean's were curled up so he was laying somewhat in the fetal position. Seth's hair was all over the place, some of it over Dean's nose and mouth. The younger man was lucky Dean was too out of it to wake up and make a fuss about it. Roman decided to move it out of the way, saving himself from hearing any grumbling in the morning.

Roman closed his eyes and tried to will sleep to come. The sounds of Seth's breathing and Dean's snores started to help him drift off. He felt himself starting to go completely out when a thump downstairs reached his ears. His eyes snapped back open and his heart leaped up in his chest. He listened close, praying that he wouldn't hear the sound again. He wanted it to just be the wind. _Please god, just let it be the wind..._

Seconds dragged on like hours. His body stayed tense, his heart dropping when he heard another thump. "Seth!" He moved Dean's head off him and let it drop on the pillow. "Seth!" He shook the younger man as he climbed out of bed. "Seth wake up!"

"Whaaat?" Seth opened his eyes and looked at him unhappily. "What is it?"

"Someone's in the house."

Seth sat up so fast his head nearly collided with Roman's. "What?" His eyes were wide, his voice filled with panic. "What the fuck do you mean someone's in the house?"

"What the fuck do you think I mean?" Roman slipped on his discarded jeans and looked around for something to use as a weapon. "Get Dean up and stay here. Barricade the door and don't open it unless it's me."

"But-"

"Just do it." Roman went to the closet and dug around, finally pulling out a golf club they had shoved in there and forgot about. He looked to Seth to make sure he was going to comply. Seth clearly still wanted to argue but he held back, instead just kissing Roman before letting him leave the room. Roman heard the click of the door locking and heard Seth scrambling around to barricade the door. Good. That was good.

Roman walked through the hall slowly, doing his best not to make a single sound. His palms were sweaty, making it hard to keep a good grip on the golf club. It was so dark he could barely see but he didn't dare turn on the lights. If it was Bray (and he was more than sure that it was) he wasn't about to let him know he was coming. His heart was pounding so hard he could feel it in his ears. He had locked the doors before going to bed. He knew he had. He had thought Seth had gotten all the windows earlier but maybe he hadn't. Or maybe the lock on one of the doors had been picked. He didn't know. It didn't matter. With no doctors or nurses or Hunter or Stephanie around this time he could actually bash Bray's head in with no interruptions.

He went down the stairs, wincing as a couple of them creaked under his weight. In the oppressing silence that sound was a million times louder than it normally was. When he reached the bottom of the stairs he stopped and looked around. His eyes still hadn't fully adjusted to the dark. He kept the golf club raised high, ready to strike at anything that moved. _Come_ on come on...where are you you son of a bitch?

A thump from the kitchen nearly made him jump out of his skin. Fuck. He slowly walked that way, the club still raised and heart still beating wildly. When he stepped into the kitchen the lights were suddenly hit. The sudden brightness surprised him and he stumbled back, blinded and disoriented. "What the-"

"Hello Mr. Reigns."

Roman didn't have time to do a thing. He tried to just lunge, his vision still impaired from the sudden light that hit him. He didn't see the gun but he heard the shot and felt the bullet rip through him He fell back, hitting the floor with a crash. Blood gushed from the wound and he just laid there, eyes staring at the ceiling until Bray came to stand above him.

_Fight_ , his mind screamed. _Fight fight fight._

His body did nothing. He couldn't feel his legs. Oh god he couldn't feel his legs.

"Did you really think you would win?" Bray bent down and took the golf club out of his hands. "You could never win." He put his face right up to Roman's, cruelly smirking as the injured man begged for his body to do anything. "Not against me. Not when I created war." He stood back up and raised the golf club high. Roman saw him swing it down and felt the searing pain against his head and then everything went black.

* * *

The sound of the gunshot nearly made Dean's heart stop. Seth, who had been on the phone with the cops, immediately dropped it and scrambled to rip down the barricade he had just put up. Dean did the same thing, accidentally stepping on Seth's cell phone in the process and disconnecting the call. "ROMAN!" Both of them screamed, Seth louder than Dean. Dean's voice died out on him. This couldn't be real. He had to be dreaming. He fucking had to be.

"ROMAN!" Seth got the door open and scrambled out of it first. "ROMAN!"

Dean tripped over his own feet and fell out to the hall on his hands and knees. The carpet burned his palms but he just pushed himself up and chased after Seth, who had leapt over the staircase railing. Dean took the steps two at a time, nearly falling once again. Seth's screaming and Bray's laughing filled his ears. Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck. "Bray don't!" He made it the rest of the way down the stairs and turned just in time to see Bray get the best of Seth and strike him upside the head with a golf club. A gun sat on the stove while Roman laid on the ground, unconscious and bleeding everywhere. "BRAY!"

Bray stopped and looked at him. The look in his eyes was chilling. There was no sign of sanity left in him. Whatever he had possessed to begin with (which admittedly hadn't been much) was completely gone. He stood over Seth and in front of Roman, just daring Dean to come check on them. Dean wanted to go to them. He had to get them out of here but there was no way for that now. Not with Bray still up. He had to pray Roman could hold on until he handled this or that Seth would wake up and get Roman out of there while he had Bray distracted.

"Look what you made me do." Bray gestured to the carnage he just caused. "Look at them little lamb."

Dean shook his head. He couldn't fall for this. He couldn't let Bray see that he did feel responsible right now. That was how Bray would get in. He twisted everything and slipped in through his cracks to control him.

"You did this."

"No."

"No?" Bray chuckled but there was no humor to be found anywhere in it.

"You did this." Dean tried not let his voice waver as he spoke. One sign of weakness and he'd be done for. "You did all of this. You're sick. You need help." He forced his expression to soften despite the fact that it physically disgusted him. "Let me help you."

"You? Help me?" Bray chuckled again. "I've been watching you little lamb. You've been sitting on a crackpot doctor's couch since we've been apart. How are you gonna help me?" He took a step towards Dean, eyes flashing dangerously as Dean automatically took a step back. "I loved you. More than either of them ever could!" He gestured down to Roman and Seth. "More than anyone else in your whole pathetic life and what did you do to me? You threw me away just like everyone else!" He was closing in on Dean and Dean tried to keep moving, not wanting to get trapped against a wall. "You're just like all of them." Spit flew from Bray's mouth as he snarled. "And what am I supposed to do now? You think I can just let you go?"

"Have you even tried?" Dean swallowed hard. Where were the police? Seth had fucking called them. Yes they had gotten cut off but Seth had told them their address. Had he said it too quick and they hadn't understood it? Or did they just not care enough to hurry? He didn't really trust cops himself so that wouldn't surprise him. "You got a fucking compound of people that would probably die to be yours. Why can't you have one of them?"

"Because they're not you." Bray let the golf club drop to the floor but Dean didn't feel any safer. "You're mine. And I'll burn this whole world to the ground before I let them have you."

The words were chilling but they didn't get long to sink in. Bray lunged at him, snarling and growling like a wild animal. Dean let himself get hit and moved with the momentum, making it so he ended up on top as they hit the ground. He swung his fists wildly, letting them hit Bray anywhere that he coudl reach. Bray shoved him off but Dean didn't miss a beat. He snatched the golf club and swung. Bray caught it and kicked his foot out, nailing Dean in the stomach. Bray took the club and swung, narrowly missing Dean who leapt out of the way. The gun. He needed the gun. He ran for the kitchen, getting within inches of grabbing the gun when he felt the club strike him across the ground. He went down with a yelp, his arms going up to try to protect himself from anymore blows. Bray just grabbed him by the hair instead, dragging him back towards the laundry room. "NO!" Dean twisted and thrashed wildly, not caring if his hair got ripped out in the process. "LET ME GO! BRAY!"

"Oh little lamb let's go down. Let's go down, come on down. Come on little lamb let's go down, down by the river to pray." Of course Bray would be singing. He maintained his grip on Dean's hair, getting him back to the laundry room where he had put a can of gasoline. The lid was already off it and he grabbed it with his free hand and started to pour it all over Dean.

The instant the gas hit him Dean's brain jumped back to the warehouse. Oh god. Not this way. Not this fucking way. He renewed his struggles but Bray only wrapped an arm around his chest and held him close. "No no no no!"

"Just hold still little lamb."

"NO!"

"It'll all be over soon." Bray reached into the pocket of his shirt and pulled out a lighter.

"NO!" Dean lunged his face forward, teeth finding Bray's arm and making him drop the lighter before he could flick it. Bray howled and his grip loosened, allowing Dean to break free. Dean turned himself around swung, his fist connecting with Bray's mouth. He swung and did it again. And again. And again. In the distance he could hear sirens but he couldn't let himself stop. Not after everything Bray had put him through. The manipulation. Isolating him. Raping him. Kidnapping Seth's family. Putting Seth and Roman in the hospital. Trying to burn him alive. Shooting Roman. Hurting Seth again. All of it. Dean couldn't stop. He had to keep hitting him. Over and over. His knuckles broke and the sirens were getting louder and Bray was laughing but not a single one of these things registered in Dean's mind. The toolbox being in Bray's reach didn't register. Bray's hand opening it didn't register. Nothing registered until Bray drove the end of the screwdriver into his side.

The pain was horrific. Dean felt himself scream but the it sounded so very far away. The pain was too much. He was falling to the side, blood pouring everywhere as Bray yanked the screwdriver out. No. No no no. He put a hand over the wound, trying to stop the bleeding with some pressure. Bray was laughing, circling him as he tried to crawl away.

"Where you going little lamb?" Bray's foot shot out, kicking him in the stomach. "Where do you think you're going?" He kicked Dean again, making him scream. "Don't you want to play with me anymore?" He drove the screwdriver down, burying it between Dean's shoulder blades. "OR ARE WE READY TO FINISH THIS?"

BANG BANG BANG! The police pounded on the door, distracting Bray for the slightest of moments. In that moment Seth came flying out, pouncing on Bray and driving him away from Dean. His movements were sluggish, his ear bleeding from where Bray had struck him. Dean heard them crash into the wall but he didn't dare look back at them. He made himself just crawl forward, risking a look to Roman. His chest was rising and falling...barely. He was clinging to life. Dean wanted to tell him to keep fighting. They needed him. They would never be able to go on if they lost him. But not a word came through his lips. He just kept crawling, pushing himself until he reached the stove. The screwdriver was still lodged in his back but he forced himself to forget the pain and pull himself up to his feet. His hand closed around the gun. Everything still sounded so far away. The police breaking down the door, Seth screaming as Bray smashed his head into the window...

With shaking arms he held up the gun. Bray turned to him, eyes glowing maniacally. Time stopped as they just stared. Bray didn't look scared. He fancied himself immortal in all his teachings so why should he fear death?

_Do it_ , Bray's eyes ordered. _Finish it._

Dean pulled the trigger as his legs gave out.

The bullet still struck the side of Bray's head.

The police rushed in, yelling for paramedics when they saw all four men in a bloody heap on the floor. "Sir?" One of the officers noticed that Dean was the only one conscious. "What happened?"

Dean said nothing. He just stared at Bray's slumped over figure, half laughing and half crying.

It was over. It was all over.


	38. Chapter 38

"Wait wait wait wait! How the FUCK did he even live through that?"

Nobody could really give Jimmy an answer. He, Jey and Naomi had come to see Dean, Seth and Roman, who were given the same hospital room to stay in. Seth came out the better of Bray's attack on the house, walking away with some stitches and a concussion. For Dean he managed to avoid major internal damage from Bray stabbing him with a screwdriver though the doctors were very worried about a chance of infection and were pumping him full of shit to fight it. He also wouldn't be lifting anything up over his head for awhile due to the wound between his shoulders. Roman and Bray were the most damaged. The bullet that had gone through Roman had hit his spinal cord, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down. The doctors were hopeful that it wasn't permanent but Dean still felt like the biggest piece of shit imaginable. Roman was possibly facing a life in a wheelchair because of a situation he got them dragged into. And to top it all of, he didn't even shoot Bray properly. The mother fucker was alive. Granted, he was in a coma and from how everyone was talking not likely to even wake back up. But he still wished the fucker had actually died. It wouldn't give Roman the use in his legs back but it would still be what the fucker deserved after everything.

"Is he here?" Jey was the one to ask the question now. "Like in this fucking hospital?"

"ICU," Seth confirmed. He was sitting up and eating the food Naomi had snuck in for them. Neither Dean or Roman had the appetite to touch theirs yet though. "They got him handcuffed and shit so he can't wake up and crab walk right out the door."

"Any sign of the rest of his family?" Naomi didn't sound too eager to ask that but she did it anyway. It was a thing worth bringing up.

Dean managed to shake his head. There had been no sign of Harper or Rowan or any of the people from the compound. He wasn't even sure if they knew what had happened to their leader. He didn't want to think about what could happen once they did find out. Stephanie and Hunter had cops guarding their hospital room but ultimately, just like Bray had, if the Wyatts wanted to come for them then they were just going to come. And Dean was pretty sure they weren't going to get lucky and stop them if that did happen. They had barely survived a one man assault. He didn't think they would get through anyone else coming at them.

"Maybe they'll all like break apart or whatever," Roman said. "They don't have their leader now. They could just completely crumble."

"What if they don't?" Dean's voice was groggy and strange even to his own ears.

Roman shrugged. "I'll get in an electric wheelchair and run them over."

Jimmy and Jey snorted and Roman cracked a smile. Dean wished he could do the same. It hurt too much to even think about Roman being in a wheelchair though. He snuck a glance at Seth. The younger man was trying to put on a brave face for Roman's sake but Dean knew this had to be eating away at him as well. Their feelings weren't lost on Roman. It took him one look at them to make him shake his head. "Can you give us a minute?"

Jimmy frowned and glanced back and forth between Roman and Dean and Seth. "Why? We just got here."

"The man said give them a minute babe." Thank god for Naomi. She pushed herself up off her chair and grabbed Jimmy and Jey by the ears, dragging their reluctant asses out. "Come on. We'll go hit the vending machine."

"But I'm not hung-ow ow ow!" Jimmy winced as Naomi pulled on him harder. "I'm coming I'm coming!"

Roman waited until the door shut behind them before turning his attention fully to Seth and Dean. He opened his mouth to speak but the look on their faces made him falter. It only lasted for a moment but Dean still saw it. He was scared. He would never actually admit it out loud but he was shaken by his current state. How could he not be?

"Roman..."

"Don't." Roman wasn't even going to let Dean start. "It's not your fault. Don't you dare blame yourself."

"But-"

"What did I just say?" Roman tried to push himself off the bed. "You even dare do that shit I'm gonna knock your head off. You hear me?"

"Hey hey hey!" Seth leaned over his bed and put his hand out to make Roman stop. "Take it easy there big guy." He jerked his thumb in Dean's direction. "You just rest. I'll knock his head off if needed alright?"

"You don't hit hard enough," Roman grumbled. Despite his own words though, he settled back down and let himself relax as Seth turned his attention to Dean.

"Look man, you can't start doing this guilt trip shit alright? We're not saying don't blame yourself just to try to make you feel better. We don't fucking blame you for anything that happened. You had no control over shit." Seth got up off his bed and went to Dean's side, ruffling his hair before sitting in the chair beside him. "Roman can get the feeling back in his legs any time. And knowing how god damn stubborn he is, it'll probably be sooner rather than later. You think his body is just gonna accept not being able to walk?"

"Hell no." Roman took the liberty of answering that one.

"See?" Seth glanced back at the Samoan with a grin. "So don't fucking do this guilt trip bullshit." He reached out and put a hand on Dean's shoulder. "You beat him man. You faced him and you beat him. So just relax. Just fucking breathe. We'll deal with Rome's recovery. We'll deal with the other Wyatts if they want to come at us. Hell, if Bray decides to wake up we'll deal with going to court and laughing as he's hauled off to jail. We can deal with all of it as long as you're not fucking crippling yourself with useless fucking guilt."

Dean just nodded. He tried to make himself speak. He really did. But in that moment he was too overwhelmed. He didn't think he had ever loved Seth more than in that moment. In lieu of words he grabbed Seth by the shirt and pulled him over the bed, smashing their lips together. He heard Roman chuckle and felt Seth smirk before he kissed him back. The message was more than received.

* * *

They lined up in front of the house, getting down on their knees like they did when it was Bray standing before them. There was no Bray though. Harper and Rowan stood on the porch, looking down at everyone. Harper had found out what happened to Bray when he and Rowan had gone into town for supplies. They lived in a world where news spread like wildfire and like The Shield's disappearance before it, Bray attacking the trio and nearly doing them all in before taking a bullet to the skull was the topic on everyone's lips. Rowan had flown into a rage upon hearing the news but Harper had only been able to shake his head. He had tried to warn Bray against his plan. Acting in vengeance was foolish. Abigail had taught him that and that had been one of the first lessons he had taught Harper and Rowan when he took them in. Retaliation was one thing but acting in vengeance meant emotions clouded any good judgment one could possess. Vengeance meant emotions ran the show and made one weak. Maybe Bray wasn't in the grave he had dug but he was dangerously close to it. A bullet to the skull killed most. Something could still go wrong and Bray could actually die. Or even if he woke up, who was to say he would even be the same? Head injuries changed people. Before forsaking his old family in joining Bray, Harper had an uncle who sustained a head injury while riding a motorcycle. He had stayed in a coma for three years before waking up and not even being the same man he had been before the accident. It had torn apart his family, his aunt eventually divorcing him and taking his cousins to go live with her mother. Maybe that was a more extreme situation than usual but it had happened. And it could happen again.

Harper began to pace from one end of the porch to the other. His eyes never left the people in front of him. All of them were fixated on him. They knew he was in charge in Bray's absence. And while they didn't look at him in the same adoration that they did with Bray, they still respected him. If Bray left him in charge that was good enough for them. But now the pressure was all on him. They were all looking to him to say what they were going to do now. Some only wanted the guidance. Others were clearly hoping he would announce retaliation. It was only Isabella's face remained unreadable. She was kneeling front and center, refusing to even let her mother touch her. Harper let his gaze linger on her longer than anyone else. A strength and a poise that he had only ever seen from Bray. It hit him right then that when the day come, she would be the one to truly take Bray's place as the leader of this family. He himself was only a substitute and none of the other children he had sired showed what she was showing. She was the one.

Whispers began to break out among the crowd. They were getting restless. He looked to Rowan who was just staring at him. He had to speak.

"Bray lives." He might as well start with the good news. He stopped his pacing and let his eyes travel across everyone in front of him. "Vengeance dug his grave but he avoids it for now." He let that sink in, the sighs of relief being heard all around. "He sleeps in a hospital bed. They say he might not wake up." That quieted everyone right back down and he let that silence be absorbed before speaking again. "I don't believe that though. He will wake up and when he does it needs to be with us. They'll lock him up-"

"We can't let them!"

"Brother Harper what do we do?"

"What about Ambrose?"

Harper glared at them for speaking out of turn. "Ambrose is not the priority right now. None of the Shield boys are." It pained him to say that. Adhering to his own advice about vengeance was admittedly easier said than done. Nothing would please him more than to put Dean's head on a stick but he couldn't. Running in angry would leave him blind and dig his grave just like Bray had done. And if he went down then who knew what would become of the family. Chaos would reign and everything Bray had worked to build would be destroyed. "Our priority is Bray." He started to pace once again. "There is no grave that can keep him down. He will wake up but like I said we must have him with us when he does." He waved his hand around. "But before we even get him we have to find a new home. The Shield boys know where we live and if we take Bray back they'll point the cops this way and then we'll all go down." He moved down the porch steps and walked towards the crowd. "I don't know where we'll go but I promise you we will find a place. We will build it in our image and then we'll take Bray back. We'll restore him to his former glory and then-and only then-will we worry about retaliation." He looked around slowly, making sure to make eye contact with every single person in front of him for at least a few seconds. "Is that understood?"

They all nodded.

"Good." He motioned for them to get up. "Pack your things. The sooner we start, the better off we'll be."

* * *

Seth was the first one of them to be released from the hospital. Not that he really ever left. He stayed right by Roman and Dean's side, having to be dragged away at different points by the Usos and Naomi so he do things like shower and get a change of clothes. That was where he was now actually. He had also promised to bring Dean some Burger King and some real clothes. Roman was passed out, having exhausted himself in trying to make his legs move. He had sworn up and down he was getting some of the feeling back in his toes. Dean had seen them twitch so believing him wasn't the issue. Him pushing himself too hard was. Dean had tried to make him stop but Roman did what he wanted. And now, with Roman sleeping and Seth gone, Dean was left to his own devices. He had tried to just watch TV but his mind was too preoccupied to get into anything. There was something he needed to do. Something he hadn't told Roman and Seth about because they would violently object. Hell he didn't want to do it. He tried to talk himself out of it but eventually got up and slipped on the jacket Seth left behind before slipping out of the room.

He walked through the halls slowly, ducking out of the way from anyone who even started looking in his direction. He put the hood up to shield his face. His body protested violently to his journey. This was dumb. He was going to pull his stitches and for what? A last bit of closure that might not even be truly achieved? He needed to turn around and just go sit back down. Watch a rerun of Man vs. Food for the ten millionth time and wait for Seth to come back with his food. Yet that was clearly just too easy because he kept right on going. He had to do things the hard way. It was just his style.

It was easier than it should have been to sneak into Bray's room. No guards stood in front of the door and the doctors and nurses were too busy with the other patients to pay any mind to Dean's presence. Or maybe he had just underestimated his own sneaking around powers. Either way, he got himself into the room and locked it behind him. He took a moment to close his eyes and take a deep breath, bracing himself before actually looking at Bray. He laid in the bed in the center of the room, hooked up to all sorts of monitors and IVs and the like. His head was wrapped in bandages and all the crazy power he radiated when he was awake was gone. He was just a man. An injured man who could possibly live out the rest of his life in this vegetative state.

Dean walked to the bed but didn't sit in the nearby chair. He just stood there, staring at the unconscious man. He could really finish it right here. He could just take the pillow out from under Bray's head and shove it over his face. He could press all his weight down on it, pushing until he flat lined. Yeah. That would be good. But he didn't. There wouldn't be a self defense excuse this time to have as a crutch. They would nail him for murder and potentially spending the rest of his life in jail wasn't something he really fancied doing.

"Did it really have to go like this?" It was a useless question to ask out loud. Even if Bray could somehow hear him he couldn't respond. But now that he had spoke he couldn't bring himself to stop. "Look at what you did to us." He bit down on his lower lip. "You had me. If you hadn't like...kept pushing you'd still have me." That wasn't something he would ever say to Roman and Seth but he had to admit to himself it was true. "But you just kept pushing and pushing. You said you loved me but all you wanted to do was break me."

Bray just laid there. The only sound that came from him was his breathing. Dean clenched his fists. It wasn't rational to even be angry about the silence yet he was. "Seth and Roman say you're a liar. But you're not. You're just too twisted to know how to love anything normally." He forced his hands to unclenched and shoved them in the pockets of Seth's jacket. "That's what I need. Normal shit. I don't want the darkness. I don't want more fucked up shit in my life. That's all I've ever fucking had and it's just exhausting." His hand went up, rubbing across his shoulder and collar bone without him really realizing it. "I thought it was all I deserved. You made me believe it too. Roman and Seth work to make me feel like an actual fucking person but you...you just..." he chuckled bitterly. "Dr. Walsh says I should forgive you. She's big on the whole not being bitter thing." He rubbed his hand harder. "I can't though. There's shit that's not meant to be forgiven." He swallowed hard. "But I don't want to hang on to you anymore." He shook his head. "I don't want you in my head. I don't even want to hate you because that means you're still in me. And I can't deal with that. Not anymore."

More silence. So much fucking silence. Dean took it in before shaking his head and turning around. There was nothing left to say or do but just walk away.

Just like before he wasn't noticed by anyone as he went back to his room. When he got there Roman was still passed out and Seth wasn't back yet. Instead of getting back in bed he went into the bathroom. He turned the water on in the sink as cold as he could get it and splashed his face off. When he was done he shook the water droplets off his hands and just looked up at the mirror. He stared at his reflection through narrowed eyes. He never had liked looking at himself in a mirror. There were times where if he looked at himself he saw the worthless, unlovable piece of shit that he had been lead to believe he was. And he had hated himself so much for it. So many times had he smashed mirrors just so he didn't have to look. His fist was balling up even now, wanting to just make it go away. But he shook his head and made his hand uncurl. He couldn't do this to himself anymore. Seth and Roman fought to make him feel like he was worth something but their efforts would be in vain if he didn't start trying on his own.

He would still be Bray's favorite victim if he didn't try.

"I'm okay," he muttered under his breath as he went to go check on Roman. "I'm okay."

And for the first time in his life, those words didn't feel like a lie.

* * *

**A/N:** Aaaaannnnd there we have it folks. This intended oneshot turned into an unexpected roller coaster ride. And I do mean it when I say unexpected because even when I started expanding it I didn't think it would turn out the way it did. Thank you all once again for reading and reviewing and the like.


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